Defend Our Juries takes defiance of Palestine Action ban to next level

Following the Court of Appeal’s ruling on 15 June, declaring the proscription of Palestine Action to be lawful, Defend Our Juries is escalating its campaign of defiance. Ordinary people from across the UK are publishing videos professing membership of Palestine Action and inviting support for the group, risking jail sentences of up to 14 years.

See examples of the videos here, here and here. Defend Our Juries says many more will follow shortly.

The holding of cardboard signs, which has led to more than 3,400 arrests under section 13 of the Terrorism Act, leads to summary only trials and a maximum of six months imprisonment. But asserting membership of a proscribed group is an offence under section 11 of the Act, and inviting support is an offence under section 12 of the Act. Both of these charges lead to jury trials, and carry sentences of up to 14 years in prison.

A spokesperson for Defend Our Juries said:

The government and the courts have made rods for their own backs. The Lift the Ban campaign is not about trying to fill the prisons or break the courts.

It’s about Britain being full of decent people who refuse to accept their government supporting the genocide of the Palestinian people, which is the crime of crimes.

The proscription of Palestine Action gives people an accessible way to communicate their non-cooperation with the UK government’s criminality.

We’ve had an overwhelming response to the launch of this new phase of the campaign, with masses of people since Monday wanting to take part.

It’s true that this may end up filling the prisons and breaking the courts. But that’s not the intention. It’s simply the consequence of Britain being full of compassionate and caring people who refuse to be bystanders to genocide.

The campaign may provide a quick test for Andy Burnham’s positioning on the issue, with more than 70% of Labour Party members opposing the proscription of Palestine Action.

This escalation continues the Lift the Ban campaign. Described as the most widespread civil disobedience in modern British history, since July 2025 the campaign has seen regular scenes of mass arrests in England, Wales and the North of Ireland. This included the arrest of over 500 people in a single day on 11 April.

In Scotland, police have opted for a covert operation, leading to dawn raids of sign-holders in the days and weeks after silent vigils.

Palestine Action support challenges UK government

In response both to the proscription ruling, and the use of terror connection sentencing against the Filton 4, people from across the four nations are doubling down in their dissent. Despite the public nature of the films, Defend Our Juries says the police have not yet taken action.

Ams from London, one of those featured, said:

It remains absurd to arrest people under terrorism laws for expressing an opinion that is not hate speech or calling for violence. This is an authoritarian government that is doing its best to squash dissent and silence those that highlight their complicity in the genocide of the Palestinian people.

They are putting the interests of a foreign state and the weapons industry ahead of the interests and rights of their own citizens and that should scare everyone. Personally, I won’t be a bystander as my rights are stripped away.

Marji, 69, a retired tax advisor and grandmother to seven, is also risking elevated charges:

Why did I sit quietly with a 7-word sign in Parliament Square, knowingly facing 6 months in prison?

Why did I even more ridiculously stick a bit of torn freezer label on an English Heritage card, write 2 words, then film myself in my own home, saying I’m a member of Palestine Action and encourage others to become one too; seemingly facing 14 years imprisonment?

Because I do oppose genocide. Because I do support the only people in the UK who have actually done something meaningful to directly challenge the Israeli weapons industry in the UK from making, exporting and using deadly weapons of mass destruction and genocide.

I refuse to allow these terrible crimes against humanity to be carried out in my name. The UK government is on the wrong side of history in its unforgivable enabling of Israel’s crimes against humanity.

They want to lock us up for years just for speaking the truth. Nothing really bad in our past – such as slavery, child workers, women’s rights – has ever changed without direct action.

Dave Killroy, a cabinet-maker, features in the video, and said:

For me, this is the best way I can help to stop the government doing the ‘wrong thing’ of supporting arms to Israel and proscribing Palestine Action who were taking direct action against the arms companies who were making things like military drones to be exported to Israel and used on Palestinian civilians.

Taking action like this helps me demonstrate ‘Not In My Name’ in the best way I can – and if that means being arrested myself – so be it. Sometimes the only way to make a difference is to go ‘all in’. I want the genocide to stop and I want the government to do the right thing.

Huda Ammori, co-founder of Palestine Action, has stated intent to take the challenge against the proscription to the Supreme Court, and the European Court of Human Rights if necessary.

An additional domestic challenge is expected in Scotland, with campaigners awaiting a ‘diet of debate’ to establish whether the arrest of signholders, via surveillance and dawn raids, violated their human rights.

This is expected to progress over the coming weeks, and may create legal and political pressure rendering the ban unenforceable in Scotland.

Featured image supplied