UK Advisors Warned Ban on Palestine Action Could Backfire

By Staff, Agencies

UK government advisors cautioned ministers that banning Palestine Action might increase the group’s popularity and visibility, according to an internal document obtained by investigative site The Detail and shared with The Guardian.

The classified briefing, prepared in March by officials from the Home Office, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and counter-terrorism police, warned that proscribing the group could “inadvertently enhance” its profile among Britons critical of UK arms exports to "Israel."

Despite these warnings, the UK formally banned Palestine Action three months later under counter-terrorism legislation.

The document, described as a community impact assessment, noted that while Palestine Action had a lower profile than groups like Just Stop Oil, its actions—such as property damage and high-profile arrests—often received significant media attention.

A section titled “How would the proscription of the organisation be viewed by British people” warned that the ban could spark controversy and criticism. It also raised civil liberties concerns, noting some might see the move as expanding terrorism powers into free expression and protest.

The briefing further cautioned that the proscription could heighten tensions between Muslim and Jewish communities in the UK and be viewed as government bias toward "Israel."