UK TO BAN PALESTINE ACTION, CITING NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT

London – The United Kingdom has announced its intention to proscribe the activist group Palestine Action as a terrorist organization under anti-terrorism laws. This move comes after activists allegedly breached the Royal Air Force (RAF) Brize Norton base and defaced two aircraft with red paint in protest.

The ban, announced by the UK government on Monday, will make it a criminal offense to belong to or support Palestine Action, carrying a maximum penalty of up to 14 years in prison.

Activists Target RAF Base

On June 20, two members of the group reportedly entered the RAF Brize Norton base in central England and damaged two aircraft with red paint. Palestine Action released a video purportedly showing activists spraying paint onto the turbine engines of a jet.

"The shameful attack at Brize Norton... is the latest in a long history of unacceptable criminal damage committed by Palestine Action," stated UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper in a written declaration to Parliament.

Cooper added that the group's recent actions, including an attack on a defense factory in Glasgow in 2022, have caused millions of pounds in damage. "The UK's defense industry is vital for national security and this government will not tolerate those who put that security at risk," she emphasized.

The Home Secretary's announcement coincided with clashes between Palestine Action supporters and police during a demonstration in central London. Palestine Action has condemned the ban as a "reckless reaction" and stated its intention to challenge it.

Context of Operations

RAF Brize Norton aircraft regularly fly to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, which serves as the UK's primary air base for operations in the Middle East. Since the start of the recent conflict between Israel and Iran, the UK has dispatched additional Typhoon fighter jets and Voyager air tankers to Cyprus for what Starmer described as "emergency support."

The UK's list of proscribed organizations includes approximately 80 groups, such as Hamas and Al-Qaeda, as well as domestic far-right groups like National Action.