Trials for supporters of banned group Palestine Action paused for review
All cases under Terrorism Act 2000 have been adjourned pending judicial review
Trials for individuals charged with offences related to Palestine Action are on hold after the group was proscribed as a terror organization.
Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring announced at Westminster Magistrates' Court that all trials involving defendants charged under section 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000 would be reviewed collectively on 30th July 2026.
This decision affects cases where defendants face charges of suspected support for Palestine Action, a proscribed group.
Among those affected are Jeremy Shippam of Yapton, West Sussex; Judit Murray of West Ewell, Surrey; and Fiona Maclean of Hackney, north-east London.
They were charged for allegedly displaying placards supporting the group, and their trial, originally scheduled for mid-March, is postponed.
The Home Office is contesting a High Court ruling that declared the ban on Palestine Action unlawful, with a forthcoming appeal in this matter.
Calls have been made by defence counsel for a comprehensive rethink by the Attorney General and the Crown Prosecution Service regarding the necessity of these trials.
A representation may be made for all defendants involved, according to Sultana Tafadar KC, who spoke on behalf of Shippam during the court proceedings.
The ongoing judicial process follows a February High Court order criticizing the government's proscription of Palestine Action as disproportionate, with an appeal by the Home Office approved.
The ban, enforced by former Home Secretary Yvette Cooper last year, made affiliation with or support of the group punishable by up to 14 years in prison.