Cultural Figures Challenge UK Terrorist Designation of Palestine Action

In October 2026, a coalition of more than 150 prominent writers, actors, and cultural figures issued an open letter to the United Kingdom government demanding the reversal of the terrorist designation of Palestine Action. This collective action followed the decision by Irish novelist Sally Rooney and her publisher, Faber and Faber, to halt the distribution of her books within the UK. The signatories, including Nobel Prize laureates Annie Ernaux and Anne Carson, argue that the current application of anti-terrorism legislation constitutes a repressive absurdity that infringes upon freedom of expression and effectively censors political dissent.

The controversy centers on the legal ramifications of the UK's July 2025 decision to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist organization. Because Rooney has publicly expressed her intention to donate royalties to the group, Faber and Faber stated it is legally prohibited from transferring UK-earned proceeds to her. Under the Terrorism Act, providing financial support to a proscribed organization is a criminal offense. Consequently, Rooney’s works, including Normal People and Conversations with Friends, are being withdrawn from UK retailers once current stocks are exhausted. The open letter signatories, which also include actors Paul Mescal and Tilda Swinton and writers Zadie Smith and Arundhati Roy, characterized this outcome as an affront to basic democratic principles.

The UK Home Office has defended the proscription, asserting that the decision followed an evidence-based process approved by Parliament. Officials maintain that while peaceful protest remains a right, the actions of Palestine Action—which have included damaging aircraft at RAF Brize Norton and targeting Elbit Systems facilities—warranted the designation. The group is currently challenging the ban, with a Supreme Court hearing scheduled for November 2026. The appeal, filed by co-founder Huda Ammori, will examine the legality of placing a domestic protest group on the same list as international militant organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah. The outcome of this case is expected to set a significant precedent for the intersection of national security laws and civil liberties in the United Kingdom.

Palestine Action emerged as a prominent direct-action network focused on disrupting the operations of companies linked to the Israeli defense industry. Its primary targets have been facilities owned by Elbit Systems, an Israeli arms manufacturer with several sites across the United Kingdom. Activists associated with the group frequently engaged in direct actions involving red paint, site occupations, and the dismantling of equipment to protest the war in Gaza. The escalation of these tactics led to increased law enforcement scrutiny and thousands of arrests over several years.

The strategic landscape shifted significantly in June 2025 following an incident at RAF Brize Norton. Activists breached the military airbase and caused extensive damage to aircraft, an act the government cited as a major security breach. On July 5, 2025, the Labour government officially proscribed Palestine Action as a terrorist organization. This designation placed the group in the same legal category as Hamas and Hezbollah, making membership, support, or financing of the group a serious criminal offense. While the group remains legal in Ireland, where Sally Rooney resides, the UK's strict financial regulations under the Terrorism Act created a barrier for the distribution of her intellectual property. This legal friction has now transformed a domestic security policy into a high-profile international debate over literary freedom.