A pro-palestine group has been banned in the UK. Those who support the organization risk prison sentence
The British Parliament voted in favor of the legislation that prohibits the Palestine Action group as a terrorist organization and follows that the order, which amends the 2000 terrorism law, will be signed by Interior Minister Yvette Cooper and to enter into force at the end of this week.
Photo: EPA-EFE
The law was approved with 385 votes for and 26 against, writes BBC. Once it comes into force, supporting the Palestine Action group will become a criminal offense, and belonging to the direct action group or to express support for it is punished by up to 14 years in prison.
However, legal actions are underway to try to temporarily block the order, a hearing being scheduled for Friday at the High Court in London.
Along with the Palestine Action, the Order also forbids Maniacs Murder Cult, a white, neo-Sonazist, and Russian Imperial Movement, a white, ethno-nationalist organization.
Following the vote of the deputies, four people were arrested in protests organized by Palestine Action in front of the Westminster.
These include a man who, according to the Metropolitan Police, “He had blocked Downing Street gates with his scooter for people with reduced mobility“And a woman who had tried to bind with chains to the entrance to the parliamentary complex.
The police said that they were arrested for violating the conditions of the law on public order, which were established to “prevent serious disturbances ”limiting the protest to an area outside Whitehall and allowing them to take place between 18:00 and 20:00 BST.
The government claims that Palestine Action fulfills the criteria for terrorism, namely use or threat with serious violence or serious damage on the property, in a way meant to influence any government or intimidate the public in order to promote a political, religious, racial or ideological cause.
In a statement after vote, Palestine Action stated that the Interior Minister “He associated our group of internal civil protest with two violent, neo -Sonazist militia. ”
A number of Labor MPs have questioned this measure and wondered if it would not be more proportionate for the group to be treated by criminal law. In total, 10 deputies Labor, including a scrutor, voted against the Government.
One of them, the laburist deputy Clive Lewis, said that “In this country there is a long history of direct actions that exceed the limits of our democracy“And that this was” Î ÎIt is a direct action … not a terrorist action. “
Palestine Action has engaged in activities that mainly targeted the armament companies from the beginning of the current war in Gaza.
Israel launched the military campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and another 251 were taken hostage.
Since then, 56,500 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the Ministry of Health, led by Hamas.
