Internal Advice Ignored in Controversial Proscription

The United Kingdom's government officially banned the direct-action group Palestine Action in July 2025, designating it a terrorist organization despite internal advice from its own officials warning the move could “inadvertently enhance” the group’s public profile. A briefing paper, prepared in March 2025 by the Home Office and other government departments and revealed by investigative website The Detail, cautioned that the ban could be a divisive issue among the British public. The advice highlighted polling that indicated “growing frustration with Israeli military methods and actions in Gaza.”

The proscription, made under the Terrorism Act 2000, makes it a criminal offense to belong to, invite support for, or wear clothing associated with Palestine Action, with penalties of up to 14 years in prison. The British government justified the ban by citing a series of actions involving “serious damage to property” intended to influence government policy. Then-Home Secretary Yvette Cooper pointed specifically to an incident in June 2025, where activists broke into the RAF Brize Norton airbase and sprayed red paint on two military aircraft, as the catalyst for the decision.

International Condemnation and Legal Challenges

The decision immediately drew sharp criticism from international human rights bodies. On Friday, July 25, 2025, UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk declared the ban a “disturbing misuse of UK counter-terrorism legislation,” stating it was “disproportionate and unnecessary.” Türk argued that the UK's broad definition of terrorism, which includes “serious damage to property,” goes against international standards that confine such acts to those intended to cause death or serious injury. He called on the UK to rescind the decision, warning it creates a “chilling effect” on the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

Amnesty International UK echoed these concerns, labeling the proscription a “dangerous shift in the law” and an “egregious abuse” of counter-terror powers. The organization argued that existing criminal laws were sufficient to address the group's activities. The ban is currently facing legal challenges in the UK courts, with Palestine Action's co-founder Huda Ammori arguing it represents a disproportionate interference with the right to free expression. Since the ban took effect on Saturday, July 5, 2025, thousands of arrests have been made, many targeting individuals for simply holding placards expressing support for the group.

Context for Kenya: Defining Terrorism and Diplomatic Stances

While there has been no official statement from Nairobi on the UK's proscription of Palestine Action, the move holds relevance for Kenya due to the two nations' deep and expanding security partnership. Kenya and the UK have a robust Defence Cooperation Agreement and a security compact focused on counter-terrorism, particularly against threats like Al-Shabaab. The UK's broad application of its Terrorism Act to a protest group centered on property damage could inform future legal and security dialogues between the partners. This precedent of classifying a direct-action group as a terrorist entity raises questions for nations, including Kenya, that navigate the complex balance between national security and civil liberties.

Kenya's diplomatic position on the broader Israel-Palestine issue remains anchored in a two-state solution, a stance recently legislated into law through a sessional paper, according to Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi in July 2025. President William Ruto has condemned the Hamas attacks of October 2023 and affirmed Israel as an ally, while also calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and supporting the creation of a Palestinian state. The Palestinian government maintains an embassy in Nairobi. This nuanced diplomatic posture contrasts with the UK's decisive, albeit controversial, action against a pro-Palestinian activist group, highlighting the different approaches allies take in response to the conflict and its associated activism.

Palestine Action's Mandate

Founded in 2020, Palestine Action describes itself as a direct-action network committed to halting the UK's arms trade with Israel, specifically targeting companies like Elbit Systems, Israel's largest weapons manufacturer. The group's tactics have included occupying and vandalizing factories and offices they claim are complicit in the oppression of Palestinians. The proscription by the UK government marks the first time a direct-action protest group has been banned under these anti-terror laws.