Sitting MPs are provoking fury after coming out in support of radical group Palestine Action, despite their pending terror group status. The radical group, which has been operating since 2020, broke into RAF Brize Norton last weekend and caused millions of pounds of damage to two RAF planes.
Following the shocking attack, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said she would be adding the group to the official list of banned terrorist organisations. The move could leave supporters and organisers of the extremist group facing up to 14 years in jail, and put them on a par with Hamas, al-Qaeda and ISIS. However despite the widespread condemnation and decision by the Home Secretary, the Express has counted 11 sitting MPs who are still voicing support for the group’s actions.
They include former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, radical lefty Zarah Sultana, two Green Party MPs and the Westminster leader of Plaid Cymru.
Just today, expelled Labour MP Zarah Sultana said: “We are all Palestine Action”, a statement which if posted after their official designation as a terror group would be a criminal offence.
Mr Corbyn has said that the “draconian” proscribing Palestine Action as a terrorist group “is an outrageous and authoritarian crackdown on the right to oppose genocide”.
Green Party MP Sian Berry said: “Proscribing Palestine Action sets a dangerous and worrying precedent.”
Richard Burgon, also an expelled Labour MP, claimed there is “a long tradition in our country of people using non-violent direct action to oppose war – like the women at the Greenham Common base.”
He added of the group that uses violent direct action: “Even those opposed to such tactics should see that proscribing Palestine Action – treating them as terrorists – is a dangerous step.”
Mother of the House Diane Abbott added: “The government seems confused between protest and terrorism. To clarify, what Israel is doing is terrorism. What Palestine Action is doing is protesting it.”
Labour MP Kim Johnson said: “Palestine Action targets property, not lives. This is a dangerous attack on civil liberties. We must defend the right to protest.”
Green MP Ellie Chowns said the move to add Palestine Action to the terror organisation list is “a shocking overreaction to a couple of protestors using paint.”
Apsana Begum said: “Proscribing Palestine Action as ‘terrorists’ while continuing to send arms to a state that is committing the gravest of crimes against humanity in Gaza is not just unjustifiable, it is chilling. The ongoing crackdown on the right to protest is a threat to us all.”
Other MPs who said similar include Liz Saville Roberts, Nadia Whittome, and John McDonnell.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp told the Express: “Palestine Action use violence, intimidation and criminal damage to try to achieve their political aims.”
“That is not how we do things in this country. We debate issues and we vote in elections to decide issues – we don’t use violence.
“These MPs who support PA’s violent methods are advocating mob rule and should hang their heads in shame. Just because you disagree with someone doesn’t give you the right to smash up their property. Mob rule has no place in a civilised country.”