Sally Rooney, Greta Thunberg among 130+ public figures backing Palestine Action ahead of UK appeal

Lead

More than 130 prominent writers, academics, and activists—including novelist Sally Rooney, climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, and musician Brian Eno—have signed a six-word letter to the UK's Court of Appeal expressing support for Palestine Action, the direct-action group proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the British government last summer. The letter, released Friday, reads: "We oppose genocide, we support Palestine Action." It comes as the Court of Appeal prepares to hear the Home Office's challenge to a High Court ruling that the ban was unlawful.

Coverage Comparison

Coverage of the story has been consistent across outlets, with Al Jazeera and The Guardian both reporting the letter's contents and the upcoming legal proceedings. Al Jazeera's reporting emphasizes the risk faced by signatories, noting that expressing support for a proscribed group is an offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison. The Guardian's coverage highlights the broader context of the ban, including the High Court's February ruling that the proscription was "disproportionate" and a breach of the home secretary's own policy. Both outlets report that more than 3,000 people have been arrested for holding placards bearing the same slogan.

Key Claims

• The Home Office is appealing a High Court ruling that the proscription of Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation was unlawful. The two-day hearing began Tuesday at the Court of Appeal in London, according to Al Jazeera and The Guardian.
• The High Court found in February that the ban represented a "very significant interference" with freedom of speech and assembly and breached the home secretary's own proscription policy, as reported by The Guardian.
• More than 130 public figures signed the letter, including Sally Rooney, Greta Thunberg, Judith Butler, Brian Eno, and Tariq Ali, according to multiple sources.
• The signatories risk arrest under the Terrorism Act, which makes it illegal to express support for a proscribed group, as noted by both Al Jazeera and The Guardian.
• More than 3,000 people have been arrested for holding placards reading "I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action," a figure reported by The Guardian and Al Jazeera.
• Rights groups have condemned the ban as an "unprecedented overreach," a characterization carried by Al Jazeera.

Perspectives

The UK government, represented by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, argues that the High Court's conclusion that the ban's interference with human rights outweighed the importance of proscribing the group was "overstated and wrong." In written submissions, Sir James Eadie KC contended that the home secretary has "broad discretion" on counter-terrorism matters and that the policy was not intended to "straitjacket" her, as reported by The Guardian.

Supporters of Palestine Action, including co-founder Huda Ammori, argue that the ban has caused "the total destruction of a protest group with considerable popular support" and created a "culture of fear" among those campaigning for Palestinian rights. Raza Husain, representing Ammori, told the court that individuals and organisations are self-censoring and refraining from lawful advocacy, according to The Guardian.

Peter Hallward, a signatory and professor at Kingston University, said: "This absurd and contradictory situation clearly cannot last much longer. And if enough people are prepared to defy such an incoherent and unjustifiable law, then we may be able to persuade the government that it's neither legitimate nor enforceable."