Palestine Action will head to the Court of Appeal to ask for permission to challenge a High Court judge's refusal to temporarily block it from being designated as a terror group. The pro-Palestinian group is racing against time as the Government's proscription is set to come into force at midnight.
Huda Ammori, the co-founder of Palestine Action, had asked the High Court to temporarily block the Government from banning the group as a terrorist organisation under the Terrorism Act 2000. However, High Court judge Mr Justice Chamberlain refused her bid for a temporary block on Friday.
Appeal hearing begins this evening
The PA news agency understands that lawyers representing the group will ask appeal judges for permission to challenge the decision in a hearing due to begin at about 7pm on Friday. This represents a final attempt to prevent the terror designation from taking effect through the courts.
In his decision refusing the temporary block, Mr Justice Chamberlain said he had concluded that potential harm from refusing interim relief was insufficient. He stated: "I have concluded that the harm which would ensue if interim relief is refused but the claim later succeeds is insufficient to outweigh the strong public interest in maintaining the order in force."
Co-founder condemns 'dystopian nightmare'
Shortly after the High Court decision was handed down, Ammori said she would be "seeking an urgent appeal to try to prevent a dystopian nightmare of the Government's making". She criticised the Home Secretary for rushing through the implementation despite ongoing legal challenges.
Ammori added that the Home Secretary was "rushing through the implementation of the proscription at midnight tonight despite the fact that our legal challenge is ongoing". She argued that the Government had been "completely unclear about how it will be enforced, leaving the public in the dark about their rights to free speech and expression after midnight tonight when this proscription comes into effect".
Widespread support complicates enforcement
The Palestine Action co-founder claimed that hundreds of thousands of people across the country had expressed support for the group through various means. She said supporters had joined mailing lists, followed and shared social media content, and signed petitions backing Palestine Action's activities.
Ammori suggested that many supporters, including "iconic figures like Sally Rooney", would continue to declare "we are all Palestine Action" and speak out against the proscription. She described this widespread backing as demonstrating "how utterly unworkable it will be" for authorities to enforce the terror designation once it comes into effect.
(PA) Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
