Palestine Action should be banned like terror groups, new report expected to claim
Lord Walney's government-commissioned report is expected to accuse protest group Palestine Action of using 'criminal tactics'
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
The protest group Palestine Action should be proscribed in similar way that terror organisations have been, a new report by the crossbench peer Lord Walney is expected to argue.
In advice sent to Downing Street, the government’s adviser on political disruption, has claimed the militant pro-Palestine group is amongst those “using criminal tactics to create mayhem” in this country.
Ahead of the publication of his government-commissioned report this week, Lord Walney openly called for tougher action on organisations such as Palestine Action and Just Stop Oil.
He said:“Both of the those organisations are clearly breaking the law as a way of trying to force the conversation. I think we should be less relaxed about that.”
He added: “These organisations have not yet been judged to meet the terrorist threshold — which is clearly defined and the home secretary has to rule on — but there is that space where if organisations are clearly using criminal tactics, they are not being deterred by the individual offences that their activists are being charged with, but proscription has worked in the terrorist context to be able to restrict the activities of certain organisations. ”
A draft copy of the report, shown to the BBC suggests Walney has claimed: “Militant groups like Palestine Action and Just Stop Oil are using criminal tactics to create mayhem and hold the public and workers to ransom without fear of consequence. Banning terror groups has made it harder for their activists to plan crimes — that approach should be extended to extreme protest groups too.”
But Palestine Action told the BBC that most British people sympathised with its call for an arms embargo of Israel, and that the proposals would not deter its campaigning.
Communities Secretary Michael Gove is expected to take up the recommendations in Walney’s report in a speech he is giving on antisemitism on Tuesday.
Palestine Action has repeatedly resorted to direct action activity at companies it accuses of being Israeli owned, or British companies it says are supplying arms equipment to Israel.
Earlier this month it targeted UAV Tactical Systems, a drone manufacturer, in Leicestershire.
In a post on X/Twitter, Palestine Action said: “Whilst one group smashed a lorry into Elbit’s Leicester drone factory, another scaled the roof of the building. Collectively, they’ve shut down the Israeli weapons maker.”
Walney’s report is expected to make 40 recommendations on the need to limit the scope of protests which openly challenge our democratic freedoms.
Asked about the report a Home Office spokesman said: “Extremism of any kind has no place in our society and we will not tolerate tactics that set out to intimidate, threaten or cause disruption to the law-abiding majority.
“In recent months we have also witnessed a small number of protesters display violent and hateful behaviour, and the police have our full support in tackling extremism and hate crime. We are considering the report’s recommendations extremely carefully and will respond in due course.”
Since leaving Labour in 2018, in protest at Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership, Walney, known as the former MP John Woodcock, has been well received in Conservative circles with his advice on alleged extremist activity on the far-left.
Jewish News understands No.10 are keen to include proposals to clampdown on far-left protests which have escalated as part of the pro-Palestine movement in this country since October 7th.
Sources claim cabinet secretary Simon Case is among those to have supported calls for all public institutions to commit to the fight against antisemitism.
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