LONDON — A senior Home Office official has warned that the British government’s decision to ban Palestine Action is causing widespread confusion within counterterrorism systems and could lead to innocent people being wrongly labeled as extremists. The official, who works closely with the Prevent program, told The Guardian that the proscription has blurred the lines between legitimate Palestine advocacy and unlawful support for the designated group.
Under Prevent duty, introduced in 2015, schools, healthcare providers, and other public institutions must report individuals suspected of being vulnerable to radicalization. But the official said the new ban has left frontline workers unsure about what constitutes extremist behavior, prompting concerns about “mistaken referrals” involving people who pose no threat.
They warned that some educators, health workers, and even counterterrorism officers are already struggling to distinguish between support for Palestinian rights and support for Palestine Action. “I’m concerned about a surge in referrals linked to Palestine advocacy,” the official said, adding that confusion has already surfaced in police briefings and local authority reports.
The concerns come as Huda Ammori, co-founder of Palestine Action, sues former Home Secretary Yvette Cooper for using anti-terror powers to proscribe the group earlier this year. The organization was banned following an alleged attack on two planes at RAF Brize Norton in June, which caused £7 million in damage. Members also face charges related to a break-in at an Elbit Systems facility in Bristol.
Prevent referrals increased by 27 percent in the year to March 2025, the highest level ever recorded. Officials fear the system could become overwhelmed as people are reported simply for expressing political views that appear adjacent to the banned organization. “We’ve already seen officers mistakenly arrest or interfere with people showing support for Palestine, not Palestine Action,” the source said.
They warned that young people, in particular, may not understand that supporting the newly proscribed group is now a criminal offense punishable by up to 14 years in prison. Misinterpretations, they said, could erode the public’s trust in counterterrorism efforts and undermine Prevent’s credibility.
A Home Office spokesperson declined comment on anonymous briefings but reiterated that supporting Palestinian rights is legal and distinct from supporting a prohibited organization.
