Palestine Action is set to be banned after a High Court judge refused to temporarily block it from being designated as a terror group.
MPs overwhelmingly voted in favour of Home Secretary Yvette Cooper’s decision to proscribe the protest group under the Terrorism Act 2000 and Lords have backed the move.
The law change, which adds Palestine Action to the list of banned organisations along with the likes of al Qaeda, ISIS and Hezbollah, is due to come into force at midnight.
It makes membership of, or support for, the direct action group a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison, while even wearing a T-shirt or badge with the group’s name on attracts a maximum six-month sentence.
Ms Cooper announced plans to proscribe Palestine Action after two Voyager aircraft were allegedly damaged at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire on 20 June, which police said caused around £7m worth of damage.But the High Court heard the decision had been taken before the incident and as early as March this year.
Huda Ammori, the co-founder of Palestine Action, is seeking to bring a legal challenge against the Home Office with a hearing for permission to bring a judicial review set to take place during the week of 21 July.
