Trump declares Palestine Action a global terror group: UK organisation will face same sanctions as Hamas, al-Qaeda and Isis with supporters banned from US for life

Donald Trump has declared Palestine Action a global terrorist organisation.The US President has added the British-based group to a list already including Hamas, al-Qaeda and Islamic State – with supporters now potentially barred for life from entering the US.The organisation's assets are also set to be frozen, including property and bank accounts, while US citizens would be prevented from doing business with them.London's Court of Appeal ruled in June that the UK Government's decision to proscribe the group last year under the Terrorism Act 2000 was lawful.That overturned a High Court decision in February that the ban should be quashed. Court listings show 1,855 people had been charged with carrying a placard in Parliament Square supporting Palestine Action.The defendants, many in their 60s and 70s, have been told of cases adjourned until October 26, pending the outcome of the appeal against the group's proscription.More than 2,700 arrests under the Terrorism Act 2000 have been made since the banning of Palestine Action.British citizens Richard Barnard and Huda Ammori co-founded Palestine Action in July 2020.The US Department of the Treasury said it had 'taken action' against the UK-based organisation, which it accused of supporting 'numerous acts of terrorism since July 2020'. Demonstrators are seen on July 30 outside Westminster magistrates' court in support of the activist group Palestine Action All of the group's property in the United States or in the possession or control of American citizens has been blocked, it said.Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent said: 'Far-left extremists, their fronts, and their enablers should be on notice: We will bring the full weight of our economic tools to bear.'Political terrorism has no place in our society, and we will continue to cut the financial lifelines of these groups until they are eliminated.'In June, Court of Appeal judges ruled the UK Government's ban on the organisation as a terror group was a 'justified and proportionate' interference on freedom of expression rights.But Palestine Action's co-founder can still take her case to the Supreme Court.Announcing the sanctions, the Trump administration said Palestine Action has 'promoted its violent, criminal, and terrorist acts on social media, encouraging the use of similar tactics internationally, including within the United States and along the US-Mexican border'.The group has been sanctioned for having 'materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods and services to or in support of, an act of terrorism', the US Treasury said.It means US nationals will be prohibited from doing any business with the group or contributing any money. British citizens Richard Barnard and Huda Ammori co-founded Palestine Action in July 2022 - they are pictured here outside Westminster Magistrates' Court in September 2024Responding to the move on X, co-founder Huda Ammori said: 'Trump has just designated Palestine Action a terrorist group.'As a Palestinian and Iraqi, the fact the country which destroyed both my homelands is calling me a terrorist is beyond hypocritical.'Trump is the antithesis to everything Palestine Action stands for.'Palestine Action's UK 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.Police have made mass arrests at multiple demos since, where protesters have held placards, worn T-shirts and donned badges declaring 'I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action,' leading to arrests under anti-terrorism legislation.Earlier this year, four Palestine Action activists who mounted a 'terrorist' raid on Israel-based defence firm Elbit Systems' UK factory were jailed.Charlotte Head, 30, Samuel Corner, 23, Leona Kamio, 30, and Fatema Rajwani, 21, used sledgehammers and crowbars to destroy computers, drones and other equipment before police and security intervened.Corner, a former student at Oxford, struck police officer Kate Evans twice on the back with a seven-pound sledgehammer, leaving her with a fractured spine.Mr Justice Johnson gave the four prison sentences of between seven years and eight months and four years and eight months, with each defendant also spending an extra year on licence.During the hearing, the judge ruled the raid amounted to an 'act of terrorism', having been carried out to try to influence the UK Government and intimidate a section of the public.Ms Ammori was last month given the green light to go to the Supreme Court and challenge a Home Office decision banning the group as a terrorist organisation.The Court of Appeal ruled in June that the decision to proscribe the group last year under the Terrorism Act 2000 was lawful, overturning a High Court decision in February that the ban should be quashed.However Ms Ammori sought to take the case to the Supreme Court on the basis that then-Home Secretary Yvette Cooper had incorrectly applied her own policy, and that it interfered with freedom of speech and freedom of association.The Supreme Court website showed that justices – Lord Sales, Lord Leggatt and Lady Simler – had given Ms Ammori the go-ahead to challenge the ban on the basis Ms Cooper had incorrectly applied her own policy.Permission to challenge the decision based on interference with freedom of speech and freedom of association was refused.The hearing is expected to take place between October 1 and December 21. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Andy Valentine said in response to the latest High Court update last month: 'The law is clear. Expressing support for proscribed organisations is a criminal offence and anyone doing so can expect to be arrested.'There are any number of ways to express views on the humanitarian situation in Gaza or on Israeli military action that don't involve criminality.'Doing otherwise is an intentional decision and one which has a detrimental impact on the public, court staff, victims and witnesses attending court, and those trying to go about their lawful business in the local area.'It also affects Londoners more broadly whose local police officers are withdrawn from communities to police this operation.'The fact that there are no hearings related to Palestine Action taking place at the court tomorrow makes the decision to continue with this event all the more nonsensical.'