Palestine Action ban would be ‘authoritarian abuse’ of power, High Court told

Banning Palestine Action as a terror group would be “ill-considered” and an “authoritarian abuse” of power, the High Court has been told.

Huda Ammori, the co-founder of Palestine Action, is asking the High Court to temporarily block the Government from banning the group as a terrorist organisation before a potential legal challenge against the decision to proscribe it under the Terrorism Act 2000.

The move is set to come into force at midnight after being approved by both the House of Commons and the House of Lords earlier this week, and would make membership and support for the direct action group a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

Damage

It comes after an estimated £7 million worth of damage was caused to two Voyager planes at RAF Brize Norton on June 20, in an action claimed by Palestine Action.

The Home Office is opposing bids to delay the ban from becoming law, and the potential launch of a legal challenge against the decision.

At a hearing on Friday, Raza Husain KC, for Ms Ammori, said that his client had been “inspired” by a long history of direct action in the UK, “from the suffragettes, to anti-apartheid activists, to Iraq war activists”.

Quoting Ms Ammori, the barrister continued that the group had “never encouraged harm to any person at all” and that its goal “is to put ourselves in the way of the military machine”.

‘Ill-considered’

He continued: “We ask you, in the first instance, to suspend until July 21 what we say is an ill-considered, discriminatory and authoritarian abuse of statutory power which is alien to the basic tradition of the common law and is contrary to the Human Rights Act.”

Mr Justice Chamberlain said that if he decided to temporarily block the ban, he could do that with either an “interim declaration” or by making an injunction “requiring the Secretary of State to make an order”.

A further hearing to decide whether Ms Ammori will be given the green light to challenge the decision to ban Palestine Action is expected to be heard later this month.

The Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, announced plans to proscribe Palestine Action on June 23, stating that the vandalism of the two planes was “disgraceful” and that the group had a “long history of unacceptable criminal damage”.

Police said that the incident caused around £7 million worth of damage, with four people charged in connection with the incident.

Amy Gardiner-Gibson, 29, Jony Cink, 24, Daniel Jeronymides-Norie, 36, and Lewis Chiaramello, 22, are accused of conspiracy to enter a prohibited place knowingly for a purpose prejudicial to the safety or interests of the United Kingdom, and conspiracy to commit criminal damage.

They were remanded into custody after appearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court and will appear at the Old Bailey on July 18.

The hearing before Mr Justice Chamberlain will conclude later on Friday, with the High Court judge expected to give his decision at the end of the hearing.