SIGN THE PETITION: Defend the right to protest: no proscription of Palestine Action

The Home Secretary’s proposal to proscribe the direct action group Palestine Action as terrorists is part of a wider crackdown on those protesting for Palestinian rights. This step undermines all our civil liberties and democratic freedoms and risks creating a chilling effect on advocacy for Palestinian rights across British society, and on other campaigns for human rights and against war.

The Home Secretary has based her proscription on allegations of criminal damage against property. Spray painting warplanes is not terrorism. Palestine Action aims to prevent violence against people by interrupting the flow of weapons used in brutal violence against Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip, widely understood to be crimes against humanity.

The British government should not be using counter-terrorism laws as a political weapon to criminalise dissent. The vast majority of British society opposes Israel’s oppression of the Palestinian people, as do human rights groups, legal authorities and broader civil society across the world.

Instead of fulfilling its obligations under international law to prevent genocide, the government is attempting to criminalise people who demand justice for Palestinians. This comes at a time when Israel is continuing its relentless bombing campaign against the people of Gaza, including daily massacres of starving people gathered to collect much-needed aid.

We call on the Home Office to immediately halt its plans for the proscription of Palestine Action. We call on MPs to publicly oppose and vote against the proscription of Palestine Action.