‘Right to protest genocide’ denied: Scotland’s Palestine Action supporters

Published 13 June 2026 · world

As the banned group fights its proscription in London, similar battles are playing out in Edinburgh. Glasgow, Scotland – A year ago, 70-year-old Cathy Allen

As the banned group fights its proscription in London, similar battles are playing out in Edinburgh. Glasgow, Scotland – A year ago, 70-year-old Cathy Allen raised a placard that read, “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action”, in Edinburgh. The July 19 protest was the first Scottish action organised by Defend Our Juries, a group leading a civil disobedience campaign against the proscription of Palestine Action. Allen was taken into custody a few days later, making her one of the first in Scotland to be arrested for supporting what the British government considers a terrorist group. “We’ve watched what’s happening in Palestine, in Gaza, and been horrified,” she told Al Jazeera. “If our government is attempting to take away our right to protest genocide, that seems to me an obvious step too far. It’s really important to take a stand.” Allen and fellow sign-holder Justin Kenrick are set to argue before Scotland’s High Court that their arrests are not compatible with the rights to freedom of expression and assembly. They believe that a positive result would set a precedent for future cases in Scotland and have a knock-on effect for England and Wales. ‘Chilling’ effect of proscription in Scotland Figures obtained by investigative outlet The Detail show 103 reports of terrorism charges associated with Palestine Action, more than half of all 193 terrorism charges lodged in Scotland since the Terrorism Act was introduced in 2000. Although the figures did not reveal the outcomes of the cases, Catherine Smith KC, the advocate general for Scotland, has stated that there are currently 54 live prosecutions relating to Palestine Action.

Defend Our Juries say 24 people are facing charges for holding signs like Allen’s, while an additional 16 people face similar charges for wearing T-shirts reading, “Genocide in Palestine. Time to take Action.” “The proscription of Palestine Action should never have happened,” said Marie, a member of the Gaza Genocide Emergency Committee Scotland who spoke to Al Jazeera. “The fact that it’s being abused and misinterpreted the way it is to arrest people for simply wearing a T-shirt is bizarre.” Across the United Kingdom, more than 3,300 people have been arrested for opposing the July 2025 ban on Palestine Action, a direct action group whose stated objective is to target sites connected to Israel’s military. Of those arrested, more than 1,200 people have been charged with terror-related offences in what many legal experts and rights groups have called an illiberal overreach. Palestine Action is currently fighting the proscription in courts in London. On Friday, activists linked to the group were jailed on “terrorism” charges, despite being convicted of criminal offences. Scots in the Palestine solidarity movement say the ban creates confusion and anxiety, given the possible legal consequences of protest action. Mick Napier, a spokesperson for the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign who is among those facing terrorism charges, said, “Anyone who’s charged with terrorism finds some international travel difficult, and people cannot apply for jobs with any hope of success if they work in certain industries – medicine, teaching, so on – because you have to disclose any pending charges.” Only one person in Scotland has reported having their terrorism charges dropped.