Artists Call on UK Government to Reconsider Ban on Palestine Action
(MENAFN) In an urgent appeal on Monday, more than 400 cultural figures, including renowned musicians and artists, called on the British government to reconsider its plan to outlaw Palestine Action and halt its support for Israel. The group’s open letter was signed by prominent figures like Paul Weller, Robert del Naja of Massive Attack, Brian Eno, and U.S. artist Reggie Watts.
"Palestine Action is intervening to stop a genocide. It is acting to save life. We deplore the government’s decision to proscribe it," the letter from Artists for Palestine UK emphasized.
The artists strongly criticized the government's stance, claiming that branding non-violent direct action as terrorism is "an abuse of language and an attack on democracy."
"The real threat to the life of the nation comes not from Palestine Action but from the home secretary’s efforts to ban it," they warned.
The letter closed by urging the UK government to reverse its decision to classify Palestine Action as a terror group and to cease arming Israel.
This latest development follows an announcement last week by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, who expressed intentions to add Palestine Action to the list of banned organizations. The UK-based group is known for its disruptive actions targeting companies supplying arms to the Israeli government.
The move gained attention after activists from Palestine Action broke into RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire on June 20, where they damaged two aircraft as part of their protest against UK support for Israel and its ongoing military actions in Gaza.
Cooper's planned designation would criminalize any affiliation with the group under the Terrorism Act, making membership or support illegal.
On the same day, hundreds gathered in Trafalgar Square to show solidarity with Palestine Action, with reports suggesting that the group may soon be formally added to the UK’s terror list.
A spokesperson for Artists for Palestine UK issued a statement: "Never before has a decision like this been challenged so immediately by artists and so widely across the country."
"If the Government persists with this ban, it will face anger and opposition on a massive scale," the spokesperson added.
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