The ruling followed the Home Office’s appeal after the High Court had previously found the group was not a terrorist organization. Judge Sue Carr read the decision, affirming that the ban and designation as a terrorist group were legal. She acknowledged the controversy but said the group promoted unlawful violence amounting to terrorism. Five appeal judges stated the ban, imposed July 5 last year, was a justified and proportionate restriction on free expression.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the group’s activities were incompatible with democratic values and the rule of law. The government banned the movement after activists stormed an RAF base in June 2025 to protest UK military support for Israel’s war in Gaza, which killed tens of thousands of civilians and destroyed 90% of infrastructure. The ban made membership or support a criminal offense punishable by up to 14 years in prison. Since then, police have arrested over 3,000 supporters during demonstrations.

Co-founder Huda Ammori announced plans to appeal to the High Court and, if necessary, the European Court of Human Rights, writing on X: “We will not stop fighting to lift this ban, above all for a free Palestine.” Protesters outside the court expressed disappointment, with some detained by police while holding signs reading “I support Palestine Action.” Police reported 117 arrests for suspected support of a banned group during protests at the Royal Courts of Justice.
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Hamas condemned the ruling as politically motivated under pressure from Zionist groups, saying it aimed to intimidate pro-Palestinian activism and silence opposition to Israel’s genocide in Gaza. The movement called the decision a desperate attempt to suppress voices supporting Palestinian rights and urged global solidarity campaigns, including comprehensive boycotts of Israel and its backers.