Normal People author Sally Rooney has revealed she plans to donate the proceeds from her work, including royalties from the BBC, to Palestine Action and “direct action against genocide.”
Writing in The Irish Times, the bestselling author said she will continue to support the group despite it being proscribed as a terrorist organisation in the UK.
The 34-year-old wrote: “My books, at least for now, are still published in Britain, and are widely available in bookshops and even supermarkets.
“In recent years the UK’s state broadcaster has also televised two fine adaptations of my novels, and therefore regularly pays me residual fees.
“I want to be clear that I intend to use these proceeds of my work, as well as my public platform generally, to go on supporting Palestine Action and direct action against genocide in whatever way I can.”
Rooney previously voiced her support for Palestine Action, writing in The Guardian in June that proscribing them would be an “alarming attack on free speech.”
Separately, in 2021, Rooney refused to allow Beautiful World, Where Are You to be translated into Hebrew by an Israeli publisher, which she said was in support of calls to boycott Israel over its policies towards Palestinians.
Her remarks come as Home Secretary Yvette Cooper defended the proscription of Palestine Action, saying it is more than "a regular protest group known for occasional stunts".
She said protest and free speech remain “an important part of our democracy” which will “always be protected”, but argued Palestine Action has carried out “an escalating campaign”.
Writing in The Observer, she said: “Some may think it is a regular protest group known for occasional stunts. But that is not the extent of its past activities.”
Palestine Action is a British pro-Palestinian direct action network that was proscribed as a terrorist organisation in July.
More than 700 people have been arrested since the ban was first implemented.
The next mass protest against the ban on Palestine Action has been announced for Wednesday 6 September in London and will be twice the size of the last, organisers said this week.
Among the detained was Sir Jonathon Porritt, a former government adviser to Sir Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, who said it was a “privilege” to be arrested.
All but 10 were arrested under Section 13 of the Terrorism Act for displaying supportive placards or signs.
Defend our Juries are aiming to sign up 1,000 people for their next event which they believe would be enough to get the ban lifted.
A spokesperson for Defend our Juries said: “With all the real challenges facing the country, it’s crazy that the Labour government has generated a political crisis over people quietly holding cardboard signs against genocide in Parliament Square. This won’t be forgotten.”
