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Conflict in the Middle East

UK ban on Palestine Action unlawful, high court judges rule

342 replies

purpletablet · 13/02/2026 13:29

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/feb/13/uk-ban-palestine-action-unlawful-high-court-judges-rule

Does this mean people will no longer be arrested for holding up a sign saying “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action”?

UK ban on Palestine Action unlawful, high court judges rule

Protest group’s co-founder wins legal challenge against decision to proscribe it under anti-terrorism laws

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/feb/13/uk-ban-palestine-action-unlawful-high-court-judges-rule

OP posts:
Thread gallery
11
Stirabout · 14/02/2026 13:05

noblegiraffe · 14/02/2026 12:59

The judge said that some of their actions did meet the legal definition of terrorism.

Not sure why so many people are keen to ignore that.

Agree Noble
I commented on that upthread

PevenseygirlQQ · 14/02/2026 13:07

1457bloom · 14/02/2026 12:58

You do realise that the IOF has invaded Palestine and murdered and in some cases burnt alive tens of thousands of defenceless women and children.

What Israel have done to Gaza since October 7th and before, the settlers in the West bank etc are imo abhorrent, and I hate Netanyahu, I think he is an evil war monger. Israel has treated Palestinians like dogs,imo

However Hamas are evil terrorists who have carried out atrocities on Oct 7th and before to Israelis and Jews and their own people!

I don’t think you can 100% “stick up” for either. No point going back and forth with each other, the but Israel/Hamas did this can go on for a very long time

noblegiraffe · 14/02/2026 13:11

Stirabout · 14/02/2026 13:05

Agree Noble
I commented on that upthread

I mean, even if they are not proscribed, people should want nothing to do with them anymore.

I really hoped that would come after the news that they broke a woman's spine with a sledgehammer.

Then I hoped it would come after the videos of the sledgehammer attack.

Now I'm hoping it will come after the confirmation that they committed acts of terrorism.

But there are lots of stupid people in the world, unfortunately.

quantumbutterfly · 14/02/2026 13:12

Underthinker · 14/02/2026 12:56

So why support the one group that is set up to carry out such attacks?

Why not support one of the many non violent pro palestine groups that have not been proscribed?

How is saying don't support this one group with a history (and probably future) of criminality and violence, an attack on anyone's free speech?

Maybe a combination of complacency (relatively peaceful in the UK apart from the odd terrorist attack - because we're clueless about all those that don't succeed), idiocy (can't understand why the government might push back when we threaten national security or attack the police) or malignancy (don't particularly like the UK - which is fine if you don't have to live here but if you do then you probably come under the idiocy category).

I suspect you are not the underthinker here tbf pp.

BrinkWomanship · 14/02/2026 13:23

This thread is nuts. The casual repetition of antisemitic tropes by some posters without realising how racist they sound - and therefore are (and seemingly think it’s ok) is disturbing.

quantumbutterfly · 14/02/2026 13:29

BrinkWomanship · 14/02/2026 13:23

This thread is nuts. The casual repetition of antisemitic tropes by some posters without realising how racist they sound - and therefore are (and seemingly think it’s ok) is disturbing.

You give them too much credit. They know they're antisemitic, they just don't see it as wrong.

inamarina · 14/02/2026 13:54

BrinkWomanship · 14/02/2026 13:23

This thread is nuts. The casual repetition of antisemitic tropes by some posters without realising how racist they sound - and therefore are (and seemingly think it’s ok) is disturbing.

I think they do realise and just don’t care.
I’ve noticed it before on this forum, some people just completely let loose with conspiracy theories and antisemitic tropes. Quite bonkers really (and it also shows why Jewish people might want their own state).

Stirabout · 14/02/2026 13:58

noblegiraffe · 14/02/2026 13:11

I mean, even if they are not proscribed, people should want nothing to do with them anymore.

I really hoped that would come after the news that they broke a woman's spine with a sledgehammer.

Then I hoped it would come after the videos of the sledgehammer attack.

Now I'm hoping it will come after the confirmation that they committed acts of terrorism.

But there are lots of stupid people in the world, unfortunately.

Whilst there is no doubt a police officer ended up with a fractured spine whilst trying to arrest a member of PA
The Jury did not reach a verdict of GBH and for all other charges they were found not guilty by a Jury

The defence stated the attacker had been sprayed with a chemical substance by the police, could not see properly and was trying to protect another person at the time.

This defence was considered by members of the Jury to prevent a conviction after 36 hours of deliberation

I presume the bar had not been met. Much the same as people being killed on the roads through reckless driving. In my own town a man crossing a road was run down on a crossing and killed by a speeding motorist. He went straight through the crossing with no attempt to slow down and yet there was no conviction. Intent could not be proved
I’m assuming it’s that required aspect ( given also the visual impairment ) that was not met for a conviction in the Law.

I don’t think people who accept the Law and convictions or lack thereof as they stand are stupid.

In the case of GBH we will have to wait and see if it goes back to court.
I agree the bar for intent ( as required in Law) prevents convictions and perhaps in some cases should be reconsidered whether it is appropriate to prevent some form of conviction and this case may be one of those.

TidyLemonEagle · 14/02/2026 14:23

SpecialAgentMaggieBell · 13/02/2026 20:25

@mnhqHow is this post allowed to stand, yet my post calling it out was deleted?

Given that there's a post on another thread that explicitly expresses support for Hamas and mumsnet refuses to delete it, I'm not surprised.

HappyFace2025 · 14/02/2026 14:49

TidyLemonEagle · 14/02/2026 14:23

Given that there's a post on another thread that explicitly expresses support for Hamas and mumsnet refuses to delete it, I'm not surprised.

Which thread, please?

Stirabout · 14/02/2026 15:03

HappyFace2025 · 14/02/2026 14:49

Which thread, please?

Would be interested too so thanks for asking

dairydebris · 14/02/2026 15:26

TidyLemonEagle · 14/02/2026 14:23

Given that there's a post on another thread that explicitly expresses support for Hamas and mumsnet refuses to delete it, I'm not surprised.

What thread? I'd love to see it!!!

noblegiraffe · 14/02/2026 15:32

Stirabout · 14/02/2026 13:58

Whilst there is no doubt a police officer ended up with a fractured spine whilst trying to arrest a member of PA
The Jury did not reach a verdict of GBH and for all other charges they were found not guilty by a Jury

The defence stated the attacker had been sprayed with a chemical substance by the police, could not see properly and was trying to protect another person at the time.

This defence was considered by members of the Jury to prevent a conviction after 36 hours of deliberation

I presume the bar had not been met. Much the same as people being killed on the roads through reckless driving. In my own town a man crossing a road was run down on a crossing and killed by a speeding motorist. He went straight through the crossing with no attempt to slow down and yet there was no conviction. Intent could not be proved
I’m assuming it’s that required aspect ( given also the visual impairment ) that was not met for a conviction in the Law.

I don’t think people who accept the Law and convictions or lack thereof as they stand are stupid.

In the case of GBH we will have to wait and see if it goes back to court.
I agree the bar for intent ( as required in Law) prevents convictions and perhaps in some cases should be reconsidered whether it is appropriate to prevent some form of conviction and this case may be one of those.

White man gets away with violence against a woman is not an unusual outcome of a jury trial.

When watching the video of the man holding the sledgehammer stood over the woman on the floor and bringing it down on her I am generally more concerned about the moral situation than the legal definition one.

Some people seem to think that appealing to legal definitions lets these people off the moral hook.

inamarina · 14/02/2026 16:04

Looks like that comment has just been deleted, but the following one quotes parts of it.

Dagda · 14/02/2026 16:11

noblegiraffe · 14/02/2026 09:57

People saying the definition for terrorism hadn't been met clearly haven't read what the judge said when they said that Palestine Action had committed acts of terrorism.

I hope those saying this is a good ruling put their hands in their pockets and pay for the criminal damage this group cause because I'm fucking pissed off that taxpayers are paying for their terrorism.

Acts of terrorism is very broad under British law. So both statements are true. Some acts by PA reached the legal threshold to be considered acts of terrorism but they don’t meet the legal threshold to be considered a terrorist group.

The broadness of Acts of Terrorism in this law has been widely criticised by civil rights groups.

This ruling doesn’t mean that PA are a “good” group. They can still be considered to have committed criminal acts. It’s just that them being proscribed as terrorists has had a chilling effect on protest. And I consider that a bad thing.

Also it’s a complete waste of resources arresting nearly 3000 people for “supporting terrorism”. None of them will be convicted.

noblegiraffe · 14/02/2026 16:14

Dagda · 14/02/2026 16:11

Acts of terrorism is very broad under British law. So both statements are true. Some acts by PA reached the legal threshold to be considered acts of terrorism but they don’t meet the legal threshold to be considered a terrorist group.

The broadness of Acts of Terrorism in this law has been widely criticised by civil rights groups.

This ruling doesn’t mean that PA are a “good” group. They can still be considered to have committed criminal acts. It’s just that them being proscribed as terrorists has had a chilling effect on protest. And I consider that a bad thing.

Also it’s a complete waste of resources arresting nearly 3000 people for “supporting terrorism”. None of them will be convicted.

Yeah, well I judge the twats who support the group who committed acts of terrorism and broke a woman's spine with a sledgehammer.

There are other causes if you want to protest freedom of speech and there are other groups if you want to protest what's happening in Gaza.

DifferentNameForQuestion · 14/02/2026 16:15

dairydebris · 13/02/2026 19:36

Do you think our government should be investigating possible Russian war criminals? Ukranian war criminals? Sudanese? Why should our government be investigating crimes taking place outside of its jurisdiction? Which person do you believe is a war criminal? Or do you think anyone who fights in the IDF should automatically be investigated? By whom? What evidence are you bringing? Or is it just that you have a blanket hatred for the IDF, individuals be damned. Shall we just try all of them?

Blanket hatred

DifferentNameForQuestion · 14/02/2026 16:21

noblegiraffe · 14/02/2026 09:02

Even the judge in this case said that a small number of Palestine Action's activities met the legal test for acts of terrorism.

So Palestine Action have committed acts of terrorism, just not enough terrorism to meet the threshold to be proscribed.

Let them smash a few more places up, a bit more criminal damage, whip a few more security guards and break the spines of a couple more policewoman and maybe then people will wake up to their violent disposition rather than actually doing anything to help Palestinians. None of those things helped Palestinian people. Virtue signalling morons, that's all.

Stirabout · 14/02/2026 16:23

noblegiraffe · 14/02/2026 15:32

White man gets away with violence against a woman is not an unusual outcome of a jury trial.

When watching the video of the man holding the sledgehammer stood over the woman on the floor and bringing it down on her I am generally more concerned about the moral situation than the legal definition one.

Some people seem to think that appealing to legal definitions lets these people off the moral hook.

Re your second & last para
Countries rely on laws. Our morals are not bound by them. All people have free will to judge others as they like, it won’t put another in jail though. Nor should it

Re your first para
It’s stretching it to think this is a misogynistic ruling and even more so to throw in skin colour
Whilst information re make up of any Jury is not freely available we do not live in a country with a Jury made up of
white men !

DifferentNameForQuestion · 14/02/2026 16:32

quantumbutterfly · 14/02/2026 13:29

You give them too much credit. They know they're antisemitic, they just don't see it as wrong.

MN appear to allow these anti semitic tropes. The police need to investigate as they investigate other types of racism.

DifferentNameForQuestion · 14/02/2026 16:33

inamarina · 14/02/2026 13:54

I think they do realise and just don’t care.
I’ve noticed it before on this forum, some people just completely let loose with conspiracy theories and antisemitic tropes. Quite bonkers really (and it also shows why Jewish people might want their own state).

Agree.

Hiding behind usernames isn't as safe as they think though.

DifferentNameForQuestion · 14/02/2026 16:36

noblegiraffe · 14/02/2026 16:14

Yeah, well I judge the twats who support the group who committed acts of terrorism and broke a woman's spine with a sledgehammer.

There are other causes if you want to protest freedom of speech and there are other groups if you want to protest what's happening in Gaza.

This.

There are ways that support the people of Palestine without the need to support violence or terrorists but the preferences of some shows who they really are.

Stirabout · 14/02/2026 16:37

DifferentNameForQuestion · 14/02/2026 16:21

Let them smash a few more places up, a bit more criminal damage, whip a few more security guards and break the spines of a couple more policewoman and maybe then people will wake up to their violent disposition rather than actually doing anything to help Palestinians. None of those things helped Palestinian people. Virtue signalling morons, that's all.

‘None of those things helped the Palestinian people ‘

statement is incorrect

PA actions caused
the closure of Elbit Systems, Israel's largest arms manufacturer, closed a UK facility following persistent targeting by the group.

Activists have caused millions of pounds in damage to factories and equipment belonging to firms like Elbit Systems and Leonardo. Who supply weapons to Israel

Actions have disrupted the production and shipment of weapons components for their manufacture and use against the Palestinian people

Blockades and occupations, such as at UAV Tactical Systems in Leicester, have forced temporary shutdowns of production lines.

Whilst we cannot know the exact benefit to the Palestinians ( we can’t prove a negative ) It’s quite obvious Israel’s access to weapons was disrupted.
No one can say how much worse it could have been

dairydebris · 14/02/2026 16:39

Well that was fun! What with the rape denial, the 'Palestinians have the right to violent resistance' and the utter ignorance of the Holocaust! Phew!

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