The home secretary will move to proscribe Palestine Action group in the coming weeks, effectively branding them as a terrorist organisation, the BBC understands. Yvette Cooper is preparing a written statement to put before Parliament on Monday - which if passed will make becoming a member of the group illegal. The decision comes as a security review begins at military bases across the UK, after pro-Palestinian activists broke into RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire and sprayed two military planes with red paint. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer condemned the action as "disgraceful," describing it as an "act of vandalism". The BBC has contacted Palestine Action for comment. South East counter terrorism police confirmed its specialist officers were investigating the incident alongside Thames Valley Police and the Ministry of Defence (MoD). Counter-terrorism police added the incident happened in the early hours of Friday and that enquiries were "ongoing to establish the exact circumstances". Footage posted online by Palestine Action on Friday showed two people inside the Oxfordshire airbase in darkness, with one riding on a scooter up to an Airbus Voyager and spraying paint into its jet engine. After sharing the footage, a Palestine Action spokesperson said: "Despite publicly condemning the Israeli government, Britain continues to send military cargo, fly spy planes over Gaza and refuel US and Israeli fighter jets." The group claimed its activists had evaded security and had put the air-to-air refuelling tankers "out of service". However RAF engineers have been assessing the damage, with a defence source earlier telling the BBC that they did not expect the incident would affect operations. Thames Valley Police earlier said it had received a report about people gaining access to the base and causing criminal damage. "Inquiries are ongoing to locate and arrest those responsible," the force said. The incident sparked outrage among some MPs, with Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick calling for the group to be banned. Since the start of the current war in Gaza, Palestine Action has engaged in activities that have predominantly targeted arms companies. In May, it claimed responsibility for the daubing of a US military plane in Ireland. RAF Brize Norton serves as the hub for UK strategic air transport and refuelling, including flights to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus. The air force has conducted reconnaissance flights over Gaza out of the Cyprus base.
Palestine Action to be banned after activists break into RAF base
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"UK Government Plans to Ban Palestine Action Group Following RAF Base Incident"
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TruthLens AI Summary
The UK Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, is preparing to move forward with a proposal to proscribe the Palestine Action group, categorizing it as a terrorist organization. This decision, which will be presented in a written statement to Parliament, follows a recent incident where pro-Palestinian activists broke into the RAF Brize Norton base in Oxfordshire. During this breach, the activists vandalized military aircraft by spraying red paint on two planes, which has drawn significant condemnation from political leaders, including Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who labeled the act as 'disgraceful' and an example of vandalism. In response to the incident, a security review is being initiated at military installations across the UK, with the South East counter-terrorism police actively investigating the breach alongside local law enforcement and the Ministry of Defence. The break-in reportedly occurred in the early hours of Friday, and footage released by Palestine Action shows the activists evading security measures to carry out their protest against UK military support for Israel.
The actions of Palestine Action have sparked outrage among various political figures, leading to calls for the group to be banned from operating in the UK. Following the incident, Thames Valley Police confirmed they received reports of unauthorized access to the base and are conducting inquiries to identify and apprehend those involved. Although the group claimed their actions effectively put the air-to-air refuelling tankers out of service, defence sources indicated that the incident is not expected to disrupt military operations significantly. Palestine Action has a history of targeting arms companies and has engaged in similar protests, including a previous incident in Ireland. The RAF Brize Norton base is crucial for UK strategic air transport and refuelling operations, especially concerning flights to Cyprus, where reconnaissance missions over Gaza are conducted. This ongoing situation highlights the tension surrounding military actions related to the Israel-Palestine conflict and the responses from various activist groups within the UK.
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