A legal challenge to the ban on Palestine Action can go ahead next month after the court of appeal rejected the Home Office’s attempt to block the case.
On Friday, three judges, led by the lady chief justice, upheld Mr Justice Chamberlain’s decision to grant the Palestine Action co-founder Huda Ammori a judicial review of the group’s proscription under the Terrorism Act.
The ban, the first on a direct action group, came into effect on 5 July, categorising it alongside the likes of Islamic State and National Action. Since then, more than 2,000 people have been arrested under the Terrorism Act for supporting Palestine Action, most for holding signs reading: “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action.”
The Home Office argued at appeal last month that the proper forum for Palestine Action to challenge the ban was the POAC (Proscribed Organisations Appeal Commission), which parliament had designated for that purpose, rather than judicial review.
Chamberlain had said that the high court could resolve the matter far speedier than the POAC and provide an authoritative determination on what should happen to those accused of criminal offences since proscription.
The high court hearing is scheduled for three days beginning on 25 November. It is the first time that an organisation banned under anti-terrorism law has been granted a court trial to challenge proscription.
More details soon …