UN condemnation: Experts slam Palestine Action ban

Five United Nations experts have again written to the UK government to condemn Keir Starmer’s “unnecessary and disproportionate” attack on the rights and freedoms of UK citizens to speak freely and protest publicly against Israel’s genocide in Gaza. This is only the latest UN condemnation of Starmer’s repression of protest and free speech.

UN Condemnation

Five UN ‘Special Rapporteurs’ wrote to the Starmer regime in July — before Starmer and then-Home Secretary Yvette Cooper used a string of now-exposed lies about the security services’ assessment of non-violent direct action group Palestine Action (PA) to justify banning it as a ‘terrorist’ group alongside the likes of al-Qaeda and ISIS — to condemn his ‘proscription’ plan. That letter was ignored by the Starmer government and by the UK ‘mainstream’ media, which has been silent on Starmer’s ‘lawfare’ war on journalists and activists who speak out against Israel’s genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity perpetrated on innocent Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.

Now, with Cooper’s lies well and truly discredited, five Rapporteurs have again written, this time to the UK’s ambassador to the UN, to raise the proscription issue and identify it as police-state over-reach and part of an attack on the rights of all UK citizens, as an excerpt makes clear:

While we do not wish to prejudge the accuracy of these allegations, we are concerned at the seemingly unjustified use of counter-terrorism laws against protest activity in a democratic society. In particular, we are concerned that proscription and its consequences result in unnecessary and disproportionate restrictions on the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association, and the rights to take part in public affairs and to liberty, due to the interrelated concerns that:

(1) mere property damage is not sufficient to constitute terrorism according to international standards;

(2) proscription of the whole of Palestine Action is not justified based on the isolated acts of a few associated individuals; and

(3) overbroad Palestine Action-related offences are unnecessary and disproportionate restrictions on rights.

We also warn against other adverse consequences of proscription, including the chilling effect on other protest movements, the potentially negative influence on the behaviour of other States towards protest movements, and potentially counter-productive security impacts.

Separately, we are concerned that police powers may have been unlawfully or arbitrarily exercised to threaten protesters with arrest or direct them to desist from protesting in circumstances where individuals were not supporting or identifying with Palestine Action in any way but were merely exercising their legitimate right of protest in relation to the ongoing violence in Palestine.

The five then highlight the regime’s mass arrests, of mostly pensioners and disabled people, under terror legislation for protesting against the PA ban — and provide a case study of the abusive and illegal actions of police acting to enforce the government’s attack:

60 individuals from the 9 August demonstration would face prosecution for offences arising from support for Palestine Action, with further cases anticipated.

On 7 September 2025, a further 890 people were arrested in London, being perhaps the largest mass arrests in the UK in the past 10 years.

The case of Heather Brunskell-Evans

Ms. Heather Brunskell-Evans is a 75-year-old retired philosopher academic. She was arrested on 6 July 2025 while she was peacefully protesting in London’s Parliament Square against the proscription of Palestine Action as a terrorist group, and those who support it as terrorists. She was carrying a sign that read “I support Palestine Action. I oppose genocide.” Ms. Evans was arrested under section 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000 along with other protesters, and was held in a cell for approximately 9 hours. She was released on bail until 3 October 2025, pending investigation.

Under her bail conditions, Ms. Evans is only allowed to stay at two addresses and she is prohibited from protesting about Palestine Action, and about any other topic in the Westminster borough.

Unlawful or arbitrary exercise of police powers

UK police have reportedly invoked the proscription of Palestine Action to threaten to unlawfully arrest peaceful protesters who were not supporting or identifying with Palestine Action in any way but simply wearing clothing or exhibiting symbols or flags referring to Palestine. On 17 July 2025, in Kent, armed police threatened to arrest a protester for holding a Palestinian flag. The individual asserted that they were not associated with Palestine Action, yet officers asserted that such conduct could constitute support for a proscribed organization. No charges were ultimately brought, however similar incidents have been reported elsewhere, including individuals wearing “Free Palestine” T-shirts or carrying general Palestinian flags being warned, moved on, or threatened with arrest, despite not displaying Palestine Action symbols or identifying with Palestine Action.

Similarly, at the 9 August 2025 demonstration in London, it is reported that the policing operation extended beyond those actively supporting Palestine Action. Some individuals were moved on or threatened with arrest despite not displaying any Palestine Action signs or symbols.

And they point out that human rights groups, including the government’s official rights watchdog, have condemned the attitude and actions of government and police over the ban:

On 15 August 2025, the UK Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) issued a formal warning to the Home Secretary and the Metropolitan Police Commissioner concerning the policing of Gaza-related protests. The EHRC expressed concern that “[h]eavy-handed policing or blanket approaches risk creating a chilling effect,” deterring individuals from exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. The Commission referenced a report of instances in which individuals were threatened with arrest under the Terrorism Act simply for displaying a Palestinian flag or carrying signs stating “Free Gaza” or “Israel is committing genocide”. The EHRC emphasized that “any interference with protest rights must be lawful and assessed case-by-case” and that police authorities must avoid blanket approaches that risk stifling lawful dissent. It further urged the Home Office and police to provide clear and consistent operational guidance to all officers to “ensure that the appropriate balance is maintained between public safety and the protection of essential human rights.”

Numerous UK-based human rights and legal organisations and leading public figures have condemned the proscription of Palestine Action and subsequent arrests and charges

It’s time for the government to stop ignoring experts’ warnings about its attacks on human rights and contempt for international law — and for the UK corporate media to do their job and start reporting on it. Read the Rapporteurs’ full letter here.

Featured image via Progressive International