# UK Supreme Court Reviews Palestine Action Terror Designation Amidst Mass Protests Legal challenge against the government's terrorist classification sparks widespread arrests outside the High Court. - **Source:** [The New Arab](https://www.newarab.com) - **Published:** 2026-11-04 - **Topic:** [politics](https://brifing.si/c/politics) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/a63ab96e-69d2-41d1-af17-0e340f1d7c36 ## Legal Challenge Commences The UK Supreme Court has begun hearing a critical appeal from Palestine Action co-founder Huda Ammori. The case seeks to overturn the government's June 2025 decision to designate the group as a terrorist organization. This marks the first instance where a group was proscribed solely for property damage rather than violence. ## Mass Arrests Reported Police arrested 25 protesters outside the London court on Wednesday on suspicion of supporting a proscribed organization. These detentions follow a pattern of aggressive enforcement, including 325 arrests at a recent US embassy demonstration. Authorities state they have the legal power to detain anyone suspected of expressing support for the group. ## Defense Arguments Presented Barrister Raza Husain KC argued that less than one percent of the group’s protests meet the legal definition of terrorism. He emphasized that the organization has never advocated for violence against individuals. The defense compared their tactics to historical movements like the Suffragettes, noting that those groups were not labeled terrorists. ## Prominent Figures Detained Among those arrested was lawyer and former government official Tim Crosland, who warned that democracy and freedom of expression are at stake. Protesters held placards questioning the consistency of the law, citing instances where similar public statements by others were not prosecuted. Police maintained that judicial outcomes remain the court's responsibility. ## Diverse Activist Participation The protest drew a wide range of participants, including Jewish activists who explicitly rejected the terrorist label. One demonstrator, Ayelet Cohen, held signs condemning settler violence while wearing a shirt labeling Zionism as racism. These activists argue that the judicial system displays bias against groups advocating for Palestinian rights and solidarity. ## Escalating Legal Conflict Over 4,000 people have faced arrest or prosecution in connection with the ban since its implementation. The legal battle has seen fluctuating rulings, with the High Court previously declaring the ban unlawful in February 2026 before the Court of Appeal overturned that decision. The current Supreme Court hearing represents a final appeal. ## Broad Institutional Involvement The case has drawn significant attention from civil society, with Amnesty International, Liberty, and English PEN supporting the legal challenge. Conversely, the Home Office, the Jewish Leadership Council, and the Community Security Trust are actively opposing the appeal. These organizations represent the deeply divided views on the group's direct-action tactics. ## Future Court Proceedings The two-day hearing is expected to conclude on Thursday, with a final judgment to follow at a later date. The court has announced that the final session will occur behind closed doors. This procedure may allow judges to review sensitive intelligence and security evidence that remains confidential from the general public. ## Sources covering this story - [Source — UK Police Arrest 25 Protesters Outside Palestine Action Court Hearing](https://www.newarab.com/news/uk-police-arrest-25-palestine-action-supporters-outside-court) - [Middle East Eye — UK Supreme Court Hears Palestine Action Terror Designation Appeal](https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/uk-dozens-arrested-outside-supreme-court-hearing-palestine-action-ban) - [Africanews — UK Police Arrest Palestine Action Supporters Outside Supreme Court](http://www.africanews.com/2026/11/04/uk-police-arrest-palestine-action-supporters-outside-supreme-court/) --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._