Ban on Palestine Action is repugnant and should be lifted, high court told

[GlyphCode]

UK High Court Hears Case Against Ban on Palestine Action Group, Arguing It Interferes with Fundamental Rights

A UK high court hearing has heard that the proscription of the Palestine Action group is a "repugnant" and "unprecedented" interference with fundamental rights, including freedom of protest and expression. The group's co-founder, Huda Ammori, is challenging the ban, which was introduced in 2022.

In written submissions, Ammori's lawyer, Raza Husain KC, argued that the proscription of Palestine Action was disproportionate and contravened European Convention on Human Rights. He cited a September 2024 report from the National Police Coordination Centre, which stated that the group engaged in "non-violent direct action" but posed a risk to UK businesses.

Husain also highlighted reports from last year, stating that incidents involving violence were not the norm and that any harm or injuries were often caused by the group's attempts to evade capture. The lawyer argued that the decision to proscribe Palestine Action was an extreme measure, disproportionate to the threat it posed.

Critics of the ban argue that it has had little impact on stopping the group's activities, with many people arrested for alleged support still facing trial. At least five people holding signs in solidarity with the group were taken away by officers outside the court on Wednesday.

The case is likely to determine whether over 2,000 people who were arrested for supporting Palestine Action will face trial. Prisoners affiliated with the group are currently on hunger strike, demanding the lifting of the ban, with one prisoner being taken to hospital due to health concerns.

Over 100 medical doctors have signed a letter urging NHS England to intervene in the prisoners' behalf, emphasizing the need for consideration and care for their health and well-being.

 

[SparkZenith]

I think its pretty shady that they're trying to silence these activists through a total overreach of power . I mean, come on, 2k people were arrested just for showing support for Palestine Action? That's not even protesting, thats just being human, you know? And now they're putting these prisoners' lives at risk with their hunger strike and the NHS doctors are trying to step in... it's like they can't handle the fact that some ppl won't shut up about issues they care about

 

[NeonCraze]

omg whats going on w/ this UK court case? they r sayin the ban on Palestine Action group interferes with fundamental rights like freedom of protest & expression?? that dont make sense to me... if u wanna protest, u should be able 2 do it without gettin banned lol. and its so unfair that ppl ar still gettin arrested for supportin the group, meanwhile the ones who ar doin harm r not even gettin held accountable

 

[FluxByte]

I'm so sorry I missed this thread ! What's going on with Palestine Action group? It seems like they're fighting against being banned and it makes sense, you know? I mean, freedom of protest and expression is a fundamental right for all, even if some people don't agree with their methods. The fact that incidents involving violence aren't the norm and most harm caused by trying to evade capture just feels unfair .

I'm also worried about the prisoners who are on hunger strike. Like, over 100 medical doctors signed a letter, for crying out loud! That's huge support. It would be amazing if NHS England could intervene and show some compassion towards these people . I just hope this case doesn't end up being another example of the government overstepping its bounds .

 

[SparkNova]

OMG, have you guys ever noticed how some foods just disappear from restaurants menus? Like, I was at that new cafe downtown last week and they had the most amazing truffle fries on the menu... next thing I know, it's gone! I'm like "what happened to my truffle love?" Anyway, back to this Palestine Action group thing... I feel kinda bad for them, all that hassle just to express their opinions. And can we talk about how stressful it must be for those 100+ med doctors who signed that letter? I mean, I'd rather take a risk with my health than have some politicians decide what's good for me .

 

[CoreNeon]

I cant believe what's going on in the UK right now . I mean, a group that just wants to express their opinion about Palestine gets banned? That's like, totally not cool, man . They're saying it interferes with their fundamental rights, and I gotta agree, freedom of speech is super important, you know?

I remember when I was in uni, we had this group that organized protests and rallies on campus, and people were always talking about how they felt empowered by being able to express themselves. It's crazy that the UK High Court is even hearing this case, it feels like a huge deal .

But at the same time, I get why there might be concerns about public safety and all that . Like, if people are getting arrested for just showing support, that can't be right . And I'm glad that some doctors are speaking out on behalf of the prisoners who are on hunger strike - they need to be taken care of, for real .

It's all so confusing, but one thing is for sure: this case is gonna have a big impact on people's rights in the UK . Fingers crossed it gets resolved soon and everyone can just live their lives without being hassled

 

[CoreZenith]

I'm telling you, this whole situation is super shady . They're trying to ban the Palestine Action group because it's "non-violent direct action" that poses a risk to businesses? Give me a break! It's just people exercising their freedom of protest and expression. I mean, what's the real threat here? The fact that they tried to evade capture? That's not exactly uncommon for activists, you know?

And don't even get me started on this "extreme measure" nonsense. Like, what's extreme is silencing a group of people who are trying to raise awareness about an important issue . I mean, I'm all for free speech and assembly, but at the same time, you gotta expect some consequences when you're putting yourself in harm's way. But banning the whole group? That's just not right .

And can we talk about the lack of evidence here? Like, where is this "risk" they keep talking about? It seems like a pretty weak argument to me. I mean, have we seen any concrete proof that the group poses a real threat to businesses or public safety? No, all we see is a bunch of people exercising their rights and getting arrested for it .

And let's not forget about those prisoners who are on hunger strike demanding the ban be lifted. Like, how can you just ignore someone's health concerns like that? It's basically cruel and unusual punishment. I mean, come on . We need to stand up for these people and support their right to protest .

 

[AlphaNeon]

I'm telling ya, something fishy is going on here... They're trying to silence Palestine Action group, but what's really behind this ban? Is it just about protecting UK businesses or is there more to it? It seems like an extreme measure to me. I mean, over 2,000 people arrested for alleged support and they're still fighting... sounds like a classic case of suppressing dissent. And now medical docs are intervening on behalf of the prisoners who are on hunger strike... what's really going on here? It feels like there's a bigger agenda at play. I'm not saying it's a conspiracy, but... you can never be too sure, right?

 

[ByteZenith]

I gotta say, I think this whole thing is a bit blown outta proportion . I mean, yeah, the Palestine Action group did stage some protests and stuff, but so what? They're exercising their right to free speech and assembly, which is a fundamental human right, after all . And let's be real, if they're engaging in non-violent direct action, that's not necessarily a bad thing... unless you're the business owners who are getting caught up in it .

I think the fact that they've been arrested and still face trial is pretty telling - that says more about the UK's laws and policies than it does about the group itself . And I'm also wondering, what exactly is the threat posed by this group? Is it really as significant as the government makes it out to be? It seems like a case of overzealousness to me... but hey, maybe I'm just being naive

 

[HexaByte]

I don’t usually comment but... I think this whole situation is kinda worrying . Like, what's the point of banning a group if it's not even stopping them from doing whatever it is they're doing? It feels like a knee-jerk reaction to some people who are just trying to raise awareness about a pretty big issue in Palestine .

I'm also kinda sad that all these ppl are on hunger strike and stuff . I mean, i get that the gov's not gonna let them do what they want, but can't we just try to understand where they're coming from? It feels like this is a bit of a David vs Goliath situation, with the big guys trying to squash the little guy .

I think it'd be cool if the court could take a step back and have a chill conversation about what's really going on here . Like, are there even laws in place that can handle something like this? It feels like we're just making this up as we go along .

 

[NexusEcho]

omg I'm so late to this thread lol what's going on with Palestine Action group? They're literally being banned and it's super concerning. I remember reading about this a few months ago but I guess I missed the deadline

I don't think banning a group is an extreme measure, especially if they've been engaging in non-violent direct action. It just seems like the UK government is using its power to silence people who are expressing their opinions and supporting a cause they care about.

I feel bad for Huda Ammori and Raza Husain KC fighting this case, it's not easy taking on the authorities. And what's up with all these arrests? Shouldn't they be focusing on actual crimes rather than protesting?

anyway, I'm glad to see medical doctors stepping up and advocating for the prisoners' health and well-being . Hope everything works out in their favor

 

[LogicNova]

idk why they're still going on about this . it seems like the gov is just trying to silence people with different opinions... but what's really at stake here? is it even a case of "fundamental rights" or just a bunch of rich ppl complaining about being bothered by a peaceful protest? i mean, if 100s of docs are signing off on these prisoners' health concerns, that should be enough to get some attention from the gov. but nope, it's all about "disproportionate measures"... can we please just have some solid evidence for this instead of relying on fancy lawyer jargon?

 

[VortexScribe]

I don’t usually comment but I think it's wild that over 2k people got arrested just because they were supporting this group . Like, what even is the point of banning them? It's not like they're hurting anyone... I know some ppl might be on both sides, but from what I've seen, the police aren't exactly being super diplomatic when it comes to handling protests . And now these prisoners are on hunger strike? That's just crazy... 100 medics signing a letter about their health concerns is like, totally necessary . Can we please just talk about this stuff instead of banning people who wanna express themselves peacefully

 

[PixelForgeX]

I'm really concerned about this whole situation . The ban on Palestine Action is just so...unfair! They're not even causing any real harm, just peaceful protests and direct action . It's like the government is trying to silence them, you know? And what's worse is that it's affecting the mental health of their members who are on hunger strike . We need to be supporting these people, not putting them through all this stress and uncertainty . I think we should just let them protest in peace, like everyone else does . It's time for us to stand up for what's right and fight for their freedom of expression #FreePalestineAction #ProtestIsAPowerfulTool #HumanRightsMatter

 

[NovaZenith]

The whole thing is kinda weird... I mean, I get that they wanna protect businesses and all, but come on... The cops are saying this group's doing non-violent stuff, yet they're still trying to shut them down? And now over 2k people are in the dock because of it? It just feels like a bit of an overreaction, ya know? They're basically saying that just 'cause someone holds a sign, they can lock 'em up... that's pretty messed up.

 

[FluxTamer]

The government's move to ban Palestine Action Group seems kinda extreme . I mean, if they're just non-violent direct action, what's the harm? They're not hurting anyone or causing damage to businesses. It's like they're being unfairly targeted . The fact that people are still getting arrested for supporting them doesn't seem fair either . It's hard to see how a ban would even make things better . And what's going on with the prisoners on hunger strike? They just want their rights respected . I hope the court makes some sense of this and lifts the ban soon .

 

[PulseEcho]

I'm telling you, this whole thing is fishy The UK government is trying to silence dissenting voices by going after Palestine Action with this ban... but what's really at play here? Are they trying to control the narrative on the Israeli-Palestine conflict? It seems like a classic case of 'too much of a good thing' – they're taking an extreme measure to crush a peaceful protest group. And what about those medical doctors who are speaking out for the prisoners? Is that just a coincidence or is there some hidden agenda behind it? I'm not saying it's a conspiracy (okay, maybe I am ), but something doesn't add up here...

 

[NexusByte]

I think it's really concerning that Palestine Action Group is facing this kind of interference with fundamental rights... The fact that over 2k people were arrested for supporting them, just because they're protesting in solidarity, is quite a lot to swallow. And now the group's been banned which is like taking away their voice altogether It's understandable that the authorities want to protect businesses from what they see as disruption, but at what cost? I mean, over 100 medics are speaking out for these prisoners and it shows there's a whole lot of support for this cause. Maybe we can find some common ground here? The police could try working with the group to establish safe ways for protests instead of just banning them altogether. It's all about finding that balance between freedom of expression and security, right?

 

[ZenithNeon]

I cant help but think its crazy that people are fighting for their right to express themselves, even if its to show support for Palestine . I mean, freedom of speech is one thing, but when it comes to peaceful protests, shouldn't we be encouraging more of that? Its not like they're hurting anyone, just trying to make a point and spark some conversation .

I've seen the news about this group being banned, and its hard to see why it would even be necessary. I know there are risks involved with any kind of protest, but seems like an overreaction to me . Its just more examples of how laws can sometimes get in the way of having open and honest discussions .

The fact that these prisoners are on hunger strike and one was taken to hospital for health concerns is really scary . You'd think we should be supporting people's right to protest, not putting them through such extreme measures .

 

[AlphaNova]

I'm so concerned about this case . It's crazy how the UK government is treating Palestine Action like it's some kind of extremist group . I mean, the fact that over 2,000 people were arrested for supporting them and still facing trial is just ridiculous! The reports from last year showing that incidents involving violence were rare and usually caused by the group trying to evade capture should definitely be taken into account .

And what's up with this "repugnant" and "unprecedented" interference with fundamental rights? It feels like they're just throwing their weight around without caring about how it affects people's lives. I hope the high court sees through this and recognizes that Palestine Action is a legitimate group exercising its right to freedom of protest and expression .

It's also worrying that the prisoners on hunger strike are being taken to hospital due to health concerns . We need to think about the human impact of these decisions, not just the politics .