Judge to give ruling next week on whether Palestine Action ban challenge can proceed

The co-founder of Palestine Action is seeking to challenge the government’s decision to ban the group under anti-terrorism laws.

Lawyers for Huda Ammori, who helped found Palestine Action in 2020, said the proscription had”the hallmarks of an authoritarian and blatant abuse of power”.

They asked the High Court to give the go-ahead for a full challenge to the group’s proscription, which was made on the grounds it committed or participated in acts of terrorism.

Mr Justice Chamberlain  said that he intends to give his ruling on July 30 on whether the co-founder of Palestine Action, Huda Ammori, can proceed with a legal challenge against the Home Secretary’s decision to proscribe the group as a terrorist organisation.

He said: “I am not in a position to give a judgment now.

“I want to consider all the material which I have been shown today in greater detail.”

He continued: “I propose to list a hearing to hand down the judgment and deal with any further directions or applications on Wednesday of next week at 12 noon.”

Raza Husain KC, representing Palestine Action co-founder Huda Ammori, told the High Court at the start of Monday’s hearing: “We say the proscription of Palestine Action is repugnant to the tradition of the common law and contrary to the ECHR (European Convention on Human Rights).”

The barrister continued: “The decision is so extreme as to render the UK an international outlier.”

Mr Husain added: “The decision to proscribe Palestine Action had the hallmarks of an authoritarian and blatant abuse of power.”

“The consequences are not just limited to arrest,” Mr Husain later said, telling the court there was “rampant uncertainty” in the aftermath of the ban.