Greenpeace UK has declared a recent Supreme Court ruling, which found that the activist group Palestine Action is not illegal, a crucial victory for the fundamental right to protest. The environmental organisation, speaking on behalf of many campaign groups, stated the courts are now an essential bulwark against government overreach.
The ruling followed a failed attempt by the Home Secretary to have the group proscribed as a terrorist organisation. Greenpeace UK described the scene outside the court as the decision was announced, with people shedding "tears of joy and hugging." They noted that those present, including individuals who had lost loved ones in Gaza or faced severe terror charges, experienced a profound moment of relief.
"It was incredible to see such joy - which only highlights how absurd it was that this proscription happened in the first place," a Greenpeace UK spokesperson said.
The group argued that placing Palestine Action on the same official list as Al-Qaeda and ISIS was a "ridiculous and blatant attack" on protest rights and a major misuse of terror legislation. They reported that since the proscription attempt, nearly 3,000 people have been arrested under terror laws, often for simply holding signs expressing opposition to genocide and support for Palestine Action. "This isn’t just worrying - this is outrageous," they stated.
While celebrating the court's decision, Greenpeace warned that the government continues to pursue further anti-protest laws. "The courts have seen sense, but the government is still hellbent on eroding your hard won right to protest," the spokesperson said, emphasising that rights were won through historic struggles by trade unionists, Suffragettes, and other movements.
The ruling is also seen as having potential positive implications for other campaigning groups, including those advocating for LGBTQIA+ rights, who engage in public protest.
The court's rebuke has sparked wider political condemnation. The Morning Star newspaper has called for the Home Secretary to resign over the episode. Meanwhile, veteran human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell told New Humanist magazine that the outlawing of protest groups was both deeply worrying and profoundly illegal.
