PALESTINE Action’s co-founder has made a bid to take her case to the Supreme Court after Court of Appeal judges ruled the group’s ban was lawful, according to court records.
In June, five Court of Appeal judges said the ban on the organisation as a terror group was a “justified and proportionate” interference on rights to freedom of expression.
This decision overturned the judgment of three judges at the High Court, who ruled in February that the then-home secretary Yvette Cooper’s decision to ban Palestine Action was unlawful, following a legal challenge from the group’s co-founder, Huda Ammori.
Following the judgment, Ammori said she intended to take the case to the Supreme Court, and the European Court of Human Rights if needed.
According to Supreme Court records, an application by Ammori for permission to appeal was lodged on Tuesday.
For the Supreme Court to grant permission and hear a case, a potential challenge typically has to be arguable and involve a point of law of “general public importance”.
The Home Office is expected to defend any Supreme Court challenge.
The ban, which began on July 5 last year, made membership of, or support for, the direct action group a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison, and has remained in force as the Home Office attempted to challenge the ruling.
After the Court of Appeal’s decision, Ammori said that she would “not stop fighting to overturn one of the most extreme attacks on free speech and the right to protest in modern British history”.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said at the time of the ruling: “The court has found that Palestine Action has carried out acts of terrorism, celebrated those who have taken part in those acts and promoted the use of violence.
“It is not an ordinary protest or civil disobedience group, and its actions are not consistent with democratic values and the rule of law.”
