In July, the British government designated the movement a terrorist organization under anti-terrorism laws, making membership a crime punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
Prosecutor Peter Ratliff said the six defendants, three men and three women, played a role in organizing protests and 13 online gatherings since the ban was issued, encouraging what he described as "mass civil disobedience" that included crimes aimed at undermining the ban's implementation. He added that authorities have so far arrested approximately 1,500 people in cases related to the movement.
Tim Crosland, 55, David Nixon, 39, Dawn Manners, 61, Gwen Harrison, 48, Melanie Griffiths, 62, and Patrick Friend, 26, face multiple charges of organizing or addressing gatherings in support of a banned group. During the hearing, Nixon stood with his eyes closed and held a sign that read: "I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action."
This ban comes shortly after members of the movement stormed the Royal Air Force base at Brize Norton last June, damaging two aircraft. Four people were charged in connection with the incident.
One of the movement's founders has filed a legal appeal against the ban, and the London High Court is expected to issue its ruling by the end of the year. The defendants are scheduled to respond to the charges at a hearing in January, and the court has set a preliminary four-week trial date for them in June 2026.
With American support, Israel has been committing genocide in Gaza since October 7, 2023, leaving 65,549 martyrs and 167,518 wounded, most of them children and women, and a famine that has claimed the lives of 442 Palestinians, including 147 children.
