DEFYING PROSCRIPTION: BEYOND THE HIGH COURT RULING

In 2025, the direct action group known as ‘Palestine Action’ was proscribed by the home secretary as a terrorist organisation. Following proscription, Whitehall was flooded with a mass of people sporting signs of “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action”, this led to thousands of arrests over a number of co-ordinated actions, many of which resulted in charges for terrorism and terrorism related offences. ‘Defend our juries’, the organisation behind the mass actions, took the fight to the high court where in February of this year it was ruled that the proscription of Palestine Action is unlawful. In response to this the Metropolitan police issued a statement to say they would no longer be arresting people under the proscription laws. Fast-forward to April, the government have now decided to appeal this high court ruling and the Met police have taken it upon themselves to resume the criminalising of pensioners who hold signs in opposition to genocide and war crimes. It is difficult to see where there is to go from here, the boldness of the police to defy court orders and the boldness of the government to not falter or backdown on what is clearly an example of state overreach and abuse of power should be a huge concern for everybody. The state are the ones who say that the court system and the justice system is a cornerstone of democracy yet they are so blatantly demolishing due process.