From Saturday onwards, anyone who remains a member of or shows support for Palestine Action in the UK will face criminal charges, after the High Court declined to grant interim relief to halt the Parliament-approved ban under the Terrorism Act, making it the first non-violent direct action campaign to be designated a terrorist organisation in the country.

The ruling implies that any individual associated with or supportive of Palestine Action could face prosecution and up to 14 years in prison, as the government, while not disclosing specific criteria, claims the group meets the statutory threshold for proscription under counterterrorism laws—a position defended by the Home Office.

The group becomes the first non-violent direct action campaign to be designated as a terrorist organisation in the UK, following a vote in Parliament earlier this week and a subsequent legal battle initiated by its co-founder, Huda Ammori.

Legal representatives for Ammori contended that the government consulted with the Israeli government, Elbit Systems, and pro-Israeli lobby groups before making the decision, but did not consult with Palestine Action or other pro-Palestinian organisations.

Lawyers for Ammori challenged the ban on the grounds that the decision was rushed, discriminatory and unsupported by clear criteria, and they argued that the move conflated civil disobedience with terrorism.

However, High Court judge Mr Justice Chamberlain ruled against granting interim relief, stating that the public interest in maintaining the order outweighed any potential harm to the group should the ban later be overturned.

Following the decision, Ammori sought urgent permission to appeal, but the Court of Appeal, in a late-night session led by the Lady Chief Justice, declined the application just hours before the ban was set to take effect.

Civil liberties organisations, international legal experts, and prominent cultural and legal figures have criticised the proscription as a dangerous precedent, warning that it redefines political protest as terrorism and undermines fundamental rights to free speech and association.

The decision has also prompted public demonstrations, with hundreds of protesters gathering outside the Royal Courts of Justice carrying Palestinian flags and banners expressing solidarity with the group.

Elsewhere, the protest collective Defend Our Juries informed the Metropolitan Police that they may be committing offences under the Terrorism Act by holding a protest in Parliament Square in support of Palestine Action. The group intends to hold non-violent demonstrations with signs opposing genocide and affirming solidarity with the banned organisation, signalling that civil disobedience against the proscription may continue despite legal consequences.

Palestine Action has focused its campaigns on halting the operations of Elbit Systems, a firm it describes as integral to the Israeli military, and its supporters argue that their activities are aimed at ending UK complicity in what they call a genocide in Gaza.

A full hearing is scheduled for 21 July, when Palestine Action will seek permission for a judicial review to challenge the proscription order. Until then, the ban remains in effect and any association with the group may result in criminal charges.

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