ফিলিস্তিন ’

xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogleAdd Al Jazeera on GoogleinfoPeople hold placards as they gather in support of the ফিলিস্তিন Action activist group outside the Supreme Court in central London on November 4, 2026 [AFP]By Al Jazeera StaffPublished On 4 Nov 20264 Nov 2026An appeal challenging the designation of ফিলিস্তিন Action as a “terrorist” organisation has begun at the United Kingdom’s top court, as পুলিশ arrested demonstrators who gathered outside to protest against the group’s proscription.। The two-day hearing at the Supreme Court in London began on Wednesday. Huda Ammori, cofounder of ফিলিস্তিন Action, said ahead of the hearing that she would argue the ban is having a disproportionate effect on freedom of speech and the right to protest.। The direct action group was proscribed by the UK সরকার under then-প্রধানমন্ত্রী Keir Starmer in July last year. The decision has since been denounced by rights groups, including Amnesty International and Liberty.।

ফিলিস্তিন Action describes itself as a “direct action movement committed to ending global participation in ইসরায়েল’s genocidal and apartheid regime”. Its designation as a “terrorist” organisation puts it on the same list as armed groups such as al-Qaeda and ISIL (ISIS). Those found guilty of belonging to or supporting ফিলিস্তিন Action risk up to 14 years in prison.। As the hearing got under way, protesters gathered outside the court. Some expressed support for ফিলিস্তিন Action, while others opposed the group’s proscription, which many view as an affront to civil liberties. One demonstrator held a placard reading: “God help us Jews who support ফিলিস্তিন and ফিলিস্তিন Action”.। About 25 protesters were arrested, according to the Press Association; the final person detained carried a sign saying: “God help us who are not married to the UK’s national security adviser who support ফিলিস্তিন and ফিলিস্তিন action.”।

It’s understood this is in reference to journalist and author Sarah Helm, who is married to the UK প্রধানমন্ত্রী’s national security adviser, and who had earlier posted a similar line on X but did not face prosecution. । “Today was another demonstration of the chaos wrought by the সরকার’s grave misuse of terrorism powers to proscribe ফিলিস্তিন Action,” Tom Southerden, Amnesty International’s UK Law and Human Rights Director, said in a বিবৃতি issued after Wednesday’s arrests.। “The sight of musicians, politicians and celebrities being arrested for peacefully holding placards is a grim one. That they were arrested for using the same language that Sarah Helm didn’t face arrest for, shows how dangerously vague our terrorism laws are.”।

Amnesty is one of several organisations calling for the UK সরকার to lift the ban on ফিলিস্তিন Action.। “Whatever the Supreme Court ultimately decides, it’s long past time for the সরকার to admit they got this badly wrong, end the proscription of ফিলিস্তিন Action and put a stop to these appalling arrests,” Southerden said.। The UK সরকার’s crackdown on pro-ফিলিস্তিন voices has come under intense scrutiny since ইসরায়েল launched its genocidal war on গাজা more than three years ago.।

Last week, Swedish academic Andreas Malm was prevented from entering the UK after the সরকার said his presence was “not conducive to the public good”. Malm is a vocal supporter of ফিলিস্তিন and has spoken out against ইসরায়েল’s assault on গাজা.। প্রধানমন্ত্রী Andy Burnham said before taking office in July that the Labour Party had “got it wrong” on গাজা. However, his comments have come under renewed scrutiny after Malm was refused entry to the UK last week.।