Displaying items by tag: terrorist organisation

MPs have voted overwhelmingly to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation under the Terrorism Act 2000, with 385 in favour and 26 against. Home secretary Yvette Cooper defended the move, stating that violence and serious criminal damage have no place in legitimate protest. Critics, however, warn that the decision could chill free expression, likening it to punishing suffragette-style activism. The move follows incidents such as activists vandalising planes at RAF Brize Norton and blockading defence firm Elbit Systems, aiming to disrupt UK arms links to Israel. Protesters outside Parliament condemned the Government for hypocrisy and accused it of suppressing effective dissent. Palestine Action insists its tactics, though disruptive, are non-violent and necessary to oppose alleged human rights abuses in Gaza. However, once the ban is approved by the House of Lords, membership or support of the group could carry prison sentences of up to fourteen years. The decision has sparked fierce debate over balancing security and civil liberties.

The British government will designate Hamas as a terrorist organisation, joining the USA, Canada and the EU. Hamas will be banned under the UK’s Terrorism Act of 2000, which would make it illegal to meet with Hamas members, fly its ,or wear clothing indicating support for the group. Supporters could face up to 14 years in prison or a fine. The approval of the ban in parliament is expected within a week. Priti Patel said, ‘Hamas is fundamentally and rabidly antisemitic. Antisemitism is an enduring evil which I will never tolerate.’ Jewish people routinely feel unsafe - at school, in the streets, when they worship, in their homes, and online. This step will strengthen the case against anyone who waves a Hamas flag in the UK. See