The Scottish Greens have renewed calls for the UK government to end its proscription of Palestine Action, arguing that the ban is incompatible with the government’s acknowledgement of widespread public outrage over the situation in Gaza.
Scottish Greens justice spokesperson Maggie Chapman said millions of people who had marched, organised and spoken out over Gaza had helped push Palestine onto the political agenda and deserved to have their rights respected.
Her comments followed remarks by Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, who acknowledged that millions of people in Britain and elsewhere had been moved and angered by the plight of Palestinians and said critics of Labour’s previous approach had been right.
Chapman welcomed Miliband’s acknowledgement but argued that it would “ring hollow” while the government continued to proscribe Palestine Action.
She called on the government to reverse the ban and protect freedom of expression and peaceful protest, while also demanding an end to UK arms sales to Israel.
Palestine Action was proscribed under the Terrorism Act in July 2025 following an action in which activists entered an RAF base and damaged military aircraft. Since then, large numbers of protesters have been arrested on suspicion of supporting the banned organisation, including during demonstrations at the Labour conference this week.
The designation has faced continuing legal and political challenges, with critics arguing that terrorism legislation is being used disproportionately against political protest.
The Scottish Greens maintain that support for Palestinian rights and peaceful political protest should not be criminalised, and have urged the government to reconsider the proscription as part of its changing approach towards Palestine.