UK arresting Palestine Action supporters is censoring free speech, says US official

"I think if you support an organisation like Hamas, then depending upon whether you're coordinating, there are all these standards that get applied. This Palestine Action group, I've seen it written about. I don't know what it did. I think if you just merely stand up and say: I support Palestine Action,' then unless you are really coordinating with some violent foreign terrorist, I think that censoring that speech does more harm than good."

"MPs voted to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation in July 2025, despite concerns the move could risk criminalising legitimate protest, after the pro-Palestine group broke into RAF Brize Norton and vandalised planes. More than 2,000 people have been arrested for expressing support for Palestine Action since, many for holding signs reading: I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action."

"Donald Trump's administration has been heavily criticised for launching an unprecedented assault on free speech in the US, including by arresting Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University student and permanent resident who led pro-Palestinian protests in the US. The president has said TV networks that cover him negatively could be punished by the government and proscribed antifa as a domestic terrorist organisation."

Proscribing Palestine Action and arresting individuals for expressing support risks censoring legitimate political expression and can cause greater harm than benefit. The group was proscribed as a terrorist organisation in July 2025 after breaking into RAF Brize Norton and vandalising planes. More than 2,000 people have been arrested for expressing support for Palestine Action, with many detained for holding signs reading "I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action." Broader actions in the US have raised concerns about an unprecedented assault on free speech, including high-profile arrests and threats against media outlets while debate continues over protecting public safety versus criminalising protest.

Read at www.theguardian.com