LONDON: British interior minister Yvette Cooper announced on Monday that she will ban campaign group Palestine Action, after its activists broke into the UK’s largest air force base last week.
Cooper said the vandalism of two aeroplanes at RAF Brize Norton in southern England on Friday was “disgraceful” and the group had a “long history of unacceptable criminal damage”.
Her comments, made in a written statement, came as supporters of the group gathered in central London to protest her move, which had been widely reported would happen Monday.
“In several attacks, Palestine Action has committed acts of serious damage to property with the aim of progressing its political cause and influencing the government,“ Cooper said in the statement.
She said she would lay a draft order before parliament next Monday that, if passed, would proscribe the group under Britain’s Terrorism Act of 2000.
Cooper listed attacks at Thales defence factory in Glasgow in 2022, and two last year against Instro Precision in Kent, southeast England, and Elbit Systems UK in Bristol, in the country’s southwest.
“Such incidents do not represent legitimate or peaceful protest,“ Cooper added.
The ban under terror laws will make it a criminal offence to belong to or support the group, punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
“The UK’s defence enterprise is vital to the nation’s national security and this government will not tolerate those that put that security at risk,“ Cooper said.
She stressed that her decision “is specific to Palestine Action and does not affect lawful protest groups and other organisations campaigning on issues around Palestine or the Middle East”.
Counter-terror police are investigating Friday’s incident, in which two activists allegedly sprayed a plane with red paint while roaming the base on scooters.
Last month, Palestine Action claimed responsibility for vandalising a US military aircraft in Ireland.
