MPs backed proscribing Palestine Action – meaning those who join and support it could face up to 14 years behind bars despite critics warning it would have a ‘chilling effect’ on the right to protest
MPs have voted to outlaw protest group Palestine Action as a terrorist group after a furious backlash.
Critics likened the move to banning the Suffragettes as terrorists over a century ago and argued it would have a “chilling effect” on the right to protest. But Home Office minister Dan Jarvis denied this, saying the group – which was behind the vandalism of two warplanes at RAF Brize Norton last month – had “crossed the legal threshold” and need to be proscribed.
Palestine Action was named alongside neo-Nazi militias Maniacs Murder Cult and Russian Imperial Movement for banning orders. Under the new laws those who join or support the organisations face up to 14 years behind bars.
The Commons voted by 385 to 26 in favour of proscribing the three organisations. Labour backbencher Nadia Whittome said the move would have seen the Suffragettes – who carried out a string of attacks while demanding voting rights for women – banned.
She said: “The Suffragettes carried out direct action for more extreme than anything Palestine Action has done but today their role in shaping history is celebrated.” She said proscribing the group would “threaten the fundamental right to protest” – which Mr Jarvis denied.
Responding to a similar claim by Labour’s Clive Lewis, the minister responded: “People engaged in lawful protest don’t need weapons, people engaged in lawful protest do not throw smoke bombs and pyrotechnics around innocent members of the public. People engaged in lawful protests do not cause millions of pounds of damage to national security infrastructure including submarines and defence equipment for NATO.
“Proscribing Palestine Action will not impinge on people’s right to protest. Those who wish lawfully to protest or express support for Palestine have always been able to and can continue to do so.”
He said supporters had carried out acts of violence and were responsible for radicalising would-be terrorists. The Commons heard that as well as spray painting two RAF planes at Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, activists have carried out an attack in Glasgow which caused over £1million of damage to submarine parts.
Mr Jarvis said pyrotechnics and smoke bombs were flung into evacuation areas, and said parts intended for Ukraine and NATO allies had been damaged in Palestine Action attacks.
Last year it was behind incidents at Instro Precision in Kent and Elbit Systems UK in Bristol. Labour left-winger Richard Burgon said he would have supported the order if it only referred to the Maniacs Murder Cult and the Russian Imperial Movement.
Mr Burgon warned that people “who would never commit direct action” could face prison sentences for the comments they make in support of the group, adding: “People out there view terrorism as being a heinous act such as shooting people, blowing people up, assassinating people or acts of violence.”
In a statement the Independent Alliance – a group of non-affiliated MPs including Jeremy Corbyn – said: “Yesterday, at least 24 people were killed in an Israeli strike on a crowded seaside cafe in Gaza. Among those killed were women, children and the elderly.
“Still, our government allows the supply of arms to Israel. The real crime is the government’s complicity in genocide – and the proscription of Palestine Action is a shameful attempt to silence dissent.” The MPs described the use of the Terrorism Act as an “outrageous clampdown on civil disobedience”.
They said it was a “cynical move to bundle Palestine Action in with foreign neo-Nazi organisations”.