Minister Backs Appeal Over Palestine Action Ban Ruling (Full Transcript)
[00:00:00] Speaker 1: The High Court said that your decision to prescribe Palestine action, essentially say they're a terrorist group, the court found that that was wrong, that you'd made a mistake in how you went about that. One of those who's been arrested, 83-year-old Church of England priest Sue Parfit, she's been charged under the Terrorism Act for holding a placard up supporting Palestine action. We spoke to her yesterday and she has a message for you.
[00:00:26] Speaker 2: I do not consider myself a terrorist. It is quite ludicrous to consider that I am. I'm an Anglican priest and I have worked for peace and justice all my life. This is not what terrorism is. We know what terrorism is. It is people like al-Qaeda and people who have done terrible acts against communities.
[00:00:53] Speaker 3: You got this wrong, didn't you?
[00:00:56] Speaker 4: The Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, has looked at this and been very clear she disagrees with the judgment and is appealing against it. I'm not going to cut across that, but let me just say this, that the advice that I had and I suspect the advice that Shabana will have had as well was very clearly about the risks around violence, around violent threats and around public safety as well. I think when you're faced with that advice as a Home Secretary, you have to take it immensely seriously.
- The High Court found fault with the process/decision to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist group.
- An 83-year-old Anglican priest, Sue Parfit, was charged under the Terrorism Act for holding a supportive placard.
- The Home Secretary rejects the judgment and is pursuing an appeal.
- Government justification relies on security advice about potential violence, threats, and public safety risks.
- The case raises questions about proportionality and the scope of terrorism legislation in relation to protest activity.