Yvette Cooper has defended her decision to proscribe Palestine Action as a terror group, despite a High Court ruling that deemed the move unlawful and "disproportionate". The current Foreign Secretary, who served as home secretary when she banned the group in July last year, spoke out after the judgment on Friday.
The High Court’s decision, which came after a challenge brought by Palestine Action, could have significant implications for thousands of individuals arrested for supporting the group at protests across the country. While the ban currently remains in place, Ms Cooper’s successor as Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, has confirmed her intention to appeal against the court’s ruling. Proscription makes it a criminal offence to belong to or support Palestine Action, carrying a potential prison sentence of up to 14 years.
