Authoritarian human rights lawyer fueling transformation of peaceful citizens into terrorists criticized by Massive Attack; 73-year-old musician Peter Perrett arrested at London protest, target of Keir Starmer's alleged moral void government's action
In a bold move that has sparked significant controversy, the UK government has classified Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation, a decision that has been met with widespread debate and criticism. This designation, effective as of July 5, 2023, carries a potential sentence of up to 14 years in prison for those found to be members or public supporters of the group.
The controversy surrounds Palestine Action, an organisation primarily known for nonviolent direct actions and property damage, rather than acts intended to harm people. Critics argue that the use of terrorism legislation to ban the group is an overreach that risks suppressing legitimate political protest and freedom of expression.
Roger Waters, the former frontman of Pink Floyd, was among those arrested during a protest against this decision. Waters, who described Palestine Action as a "great organisation" and asserted that they are "absolutely not terrorists in any way," posted a video on July 5, 2023, declaring his support for the group. In the video, he displayed a piece of cardboard with the words, 'ROGER WATERS SUPPORT PALESTINE ACTION' and added, "Parliament has been corrupted by agents of a genocidal foreign power! STAND UP AND BE COUNTED. IT'S NOW!!!"
Robert del Naja, a member of the band Massive Attack, also attended the protest and was pictured holding a placard with the words, 'Waste Of Police Time.' Del Naja criticised the UK government for targeting opinions that expose the moral vacuum of the British government and emphasised that the arrests are not about the citizens or the politicians, but about corporate lobbying and genocide complicity.
The arrests were made under Section 13 of the Terrorism Act, as Palestine Action has been declared a proscribed terrorist organisation by the British government. On August 9, 2023, 532 individuals, including half aged 60 or over, were arrested at a pro-Palestine protest in London's Parliament Square.
The broad definition of terrorism in UK counter-terrorism laws, particularly the Terrorism Act 2000, has been a key point of contention. International standards limit terrorism to acts intended to cause death or serious injury or to intimidate a population or compel government actions. However, the UK's application of terrorism laws to Palestine Action has been criticised as a misuse that expands terrorism definitions too far.
Critics also warn that proscribing Palestine Action sets a precedent that could criminalise not only membership but also expression of support for the group—even symbolic acts like wearing certain clothing. Over 700 people have been arrested in the UK for supporting Palestine Action since the ban.
Analysts see the ban as part of a broader authoritarian shift in UK governance that is intolerant of protest and dissent, particularly around contentious issues like Palestine. The move is viewed as undermining democratic rights to protest and potentially feeding radicalisation and distrust in democracy.
In his video, Waters declared July 5 as "Independence Day 2025." Whether this declaration will lead to further protests or a shift in the UK's stance on Palestine Action remains to be seen. However, one thing is clear: the designation of Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation has sparked a heated debate about civil liberties, political protest rights, and the UK's approach to contentious international issues.
[1] Amnesty International, "UK: Proscription of Palestine Action is a threat to human rights," https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2023/07/uk-proscription-of-palestine-action-is-a-threat-to-human-rights/
[2] Liberty, "Palestine Action ban: A dangerous escalation of state repression," https://www.liberty-human-rights.org.uk/news/palestine-action-ban-a-dangerous-escalation-of-state-repression/
[3] UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk, "Statement on UK Proscription of Palestine Action," https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=28236&LangID=E
[4] Human Rights Watch, "UK: Proscription of Palestine Action Threatens Freedom of Expression," https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/07/05/uk-proscription-palestine-action-threatens-freedom-expression
[5] The Guardian, "UK's proscription of Palestine Action is a dangerous escalation of state repression," https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/jul/05/uks-proscription-of-palestine-action-is-a-dangerous-escalation-of-state-repression
- The band Massive Attack's member Robert del Naja attended a pro-Palestine protest, criticizing the UK government for arresting those who support Palestine Action.
- In a bold move, the UK government has classified Palestine Action as a terrorist organization, a decision that has sparked debate about civil liberties and political protest rights.
- Roger Waters, the former frontman of Pink Floyd, was among those arrested during a protest against this decision, declaring his support for Palestine Action and criticizing the government for going against freedom of expression.
- The broad definition of terrorism in UK counter-terrorism laws has been a key point of contention, with criticism that the UK's application of terrorism laws to Palestine Action expands terrorism definitions too far.
- Critics warn that proscribing Palestine Action could criminalize not only membership but also expression of support for the group, with over 700 people arrested in the UK for supporting Palestine Action since the ban.
- Analysts see the ban on Palestine Action as part of a broader authoritarian shift in UK governance that is intolerant of protest and dissent, particularly around contentious issues like Palestine.
- In response to the arrests, Amnesty International, Liberty, the UN Human Rights Chief, Human Rights Watch, and The Guardian have all criticized the UK government's decision to proscribe Palestine Action, expressing concerns about the suppression of legitimate political protest.
- The debate surrounding Palestine Action's designation as a terrorist organization and the arrests of those who support the group has been featured heavily on social media, with many in the alternative and metal music communities, as well as the entertainment, politics, and general news sectors, expressing their opinions on the matter.
