LONDON: A High Court judge in London on Friday threw out an attempt to derail a government ban of the Palestine Action campaign group under anti-terror laws.

The proscription cleared parliament on Thursday, but faced a court challenge to try to stop it becoming law.

The government anno­unced last week it would ban Palestine Action under the Terrorism Act 2000, days after activists from the group broke into an air force base in southern England.

Two aircraft at the base were sprayed with red paint, causing an estimated seven million ($9.55m) in damage.

Huda Ammori, co-founder of Palestine Action, had asked the High Court to temporarily block the government from banning the group as a terrorist organisation ahead of a potential legal challenge against the decision to proscribe it.

But dismissing the legal challenge, which was backed by Amnesty International and other rights groups, judge Martin Chamberlain said that an assessment on whether to ban the group had been made as early as March, and “preceded” the air base break-in.

Four Palestine Action activists were remanded in custody on Thursday after appearing in court.

Counter-terror police a day earlier charged the four suspects with “conspiracy to enter a prohibited place knowingly for a purpose prejudicial to the safety or interests of the United Kingdom, and conspiracy to commit criminal damage”.

Published in Dawn, July 5th, 2025