LONDON โ The UK government is set to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation after members broke into RAF Brize Norton and vandalised two military aircraft, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and officials confirmed.
Activists from Palestine Action gained access to Britainโs largest RAF station. They sprayed red paint into the engines of two Airbus Voyager aircraft and used crowbars to cause further damage, according to a statement by the group and police reports.
The perpetrators reportedly entered the base on electric scooters under the cover of darkness and filmed the act, posting video footage on social media.
๐ฌ๐งPro-Palestinian activists from the group Palestine Action broke into the UKโs largest Royal Air Force base, RAF Brize Norton, arriving on electric scooters. Once inside, they damaged two Airbus Voyager refueling aircraft by spraying red paint into the engines using repurposedโฆ pic.twitter.com/7pcxDlw6zh
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Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the incident as โdisgraceful vandalismโ and emphasised that RAF personnel โput their lives on the line for us every dayโ.
The MoD and counterโterrorism police, along with Thames Valley Police, are investigating the security breach. Officials have launched a full review of base security protocols.
Home Secretary Cooper is preparing a written ministerial statement for Parliament, seeking to proscribe the group under the Terrorism Act 2000. If enacted, membership in or support for the group will become a criminal offence. Parliamentary approval is required before the ban takes effect.
Palestine Action claimed responsibility, citing objection to UK military support for Israel and operations over Gaza. The group said its actions โinterrupted Britainโs direct participation in the commission of genocide and war crimes across the Middle Eastโ.
Rights organisations, including Amnesty International UK, expressed concern over expanding terrorism laws to cover protest groups. They argue that nonโviolent activism should not be criminalised.
The ban on Palestine Action will place it alongside groups such as Hizb utโTahrir and the Wagner Group, which are already proscribed under the act.
This article is based on verified information from The Guardian, Reuters, Financial Times, and the UK Home Office.