The co-founder of Palestine Action can bring a legal challenge to the home secretary’s decision to ban the direct action group under anti-terrorism laws, a high court judge has ruled.
Lawyers for Huda Ammori argued at a hearing in London last week that the proscription of Palestine Action, placing it on a par with groups such as Islamic State and Boko Haram, was “repugnant” and an “authoritarian and blatant abuse of power”.
They warned that it was already having a chilling effect on freedom of speech and protest, highlighting dozens of arrests – the number is believed to have risen above 200 – of people for demonstrating since the ban came into force on 5 July.
Sir James Eadie, for the Home Office, argued that a judicial review was not the correct avenue to challenge the ban, given that parliament had designated the POAC (Proscribed Organisations Appeal Commission) precisely for that purpose.
On Wednesday, Mr Justice Chamberlain ruled that Ammori’s case against the ban was arguable and so should proceed to trial.
