UK Parliament to vote on designating Palestine Action as terrorist group

British lawmakers are preparing for a crucial vote on Wednesday that could see the protest group Palestine Action formally designated as a terrorist organisation.

The proposed proscription, brought forward by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, would make membership or support for the group a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

Read more: UK to ban Palestine Action, labeling it as "terrorist group"

If Members of Parliament approve the order in the afternoon session, it will move to the House of Lords on Thursday. The designation could come into effect as early as Saturday.

This would mark an unprecedented step, making Palestine Action the first direct action protest group to be banned under terrorism legislation, placing it legally alongside extremist groups such as Daesh and Al-Qaeda.

The proposed order, first laid before Parliament on 23 June, also includes two far-right organisations: the neo-Nazi Maniacs Murder Cult (MMC) and the Russian Imperial Movement (RIM). All three groups are bundled into a single statutory instrument, meaning MPs cannot vote to ban some and not others.

Read more: Palestine Action challenges UK government’s proposed ban

In a statement, Home Secretary Cooper defended the approach, saying all three groups had “passed the threshold for proscription based on clear national security evidence and assessments.”

Palestine Action has condemned the move, accusing the government of “trying to proscribe us via the backdoor without proper Parliamentary consideration.” The group argues that combining their case with neo-Nazi organisations is an attempt to secure a blanket approval from MPs without sufficient debate on each group individually.