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.
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On Wednesday, Mr Justice Chamberlain ruled that Ammori’s case against the ban was arguable and so should proceed to trial.
