The British government is set to classify Palestine Action, a pro-Palestinian activist group, as a terrorist organization after a series of incidents, including vandalism at a military air base. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced on Monday that a legal order to ban the group would be formally submitted to Parliament on June 30, following its members damaging military planes with red paint.
Cooper described the group's actions as an "orchestrated nationwide campaign of direct criminal action" that jeopardized national security. She emphasized that such actions, which resulted in "serious damage to property," justify this designation under U.K. terrorism laws.
Palestine Action will join a list of over 80 other groups banned by the British government, which includes various groups such as ISIS, Hamas, Hezbollah, and even domestic extremists like the white supremacist Atomwaffen Division. This ban marks a notable precedent, as Jonathan Hall, the government's top terrorism law advisor, mentioned that it represents the first instance of a group facing such a ban primarily for property damage rather than actual violence.
The incidents catalyzing this decision include a recent break-in at Brize Norton, Britain's largest air force base, which raised the issue to a level of national security concern, prompting government intervention. The response underscores a rising strident stance against those engaging in aggressive activism that disrupts national peace and security.
