The key facts

  • More than 150 writers and cultural figures signed an open letter criticising the ban on Palestine Action
  • Sally Rooney and publisher Faber stopped selling her books in the UK because royalties cannot be paid legally
  • The UK Supreme Court will next month hear the appeal of group co-founder Huda Ammori

Open letter against the ban

More than 150 writers and public figures on Wednesday signed an open letter calling on the UK government to change the 'draconian' ban on the Palestinian activist movement Palestine Action. The trigger was the decision by Irish writer Sally Rooney to stop selling her books in Britain. Among the signatories are Nobel laureates Annie Ernaux and Anne Carson, as well as actors Paul Mescal and Tilda Swinton, and authors Colm Tóibín, Arundhati Roy, Jhumpa Lahiri, Zadie Smith and Julian Barnes.

Reason for halting sales

Rooney and her publisher Faber announced last week that they were halting sales of her books in the UK. The reason was the placement of Palestine Action, by the Labour government in July 2025, on the list of banned 'terrorist' groups — on the same list as Hamas and Hezbollah. The ban makes membership in, support for, or funding of the group illegal within the country. Faber said that because of the ban it cannot legally pass on to Rooney the royalties she earned in the UK. Rooney, who lives and works in Ireland, where the group is not banned, has repeatedly expressed support for Palestine Action and stated her intention to fund the organisation.

Quotes and reaction

'Sally Rooney is a writer, not a terrorist. Her books should be available to the public,' the letter says. The authors also state: 'We categorically reject censorship — direct or indirect — and call on the government to change course by changing the legislation that has led us to this point of repressive absurdity.' The withdrawal of books from sale is described in the letter as 'an affront to the basic principles of free speech and expression.' Since the ban, thousands of people have been arrested for protesting against it.

Context of the ban

The ban followed a series of high-profile protest actions against the war in Gaza, including attacks on arms factories, especially those belonging to the Israeli defence group Elbit. On its website, Palestine Action states its goal as ending 'global participation in Israel's genocidal and apartheid regime.' The organisation is appealing the ban. Last week police said they were examining a social media post by Sarah Helm, wife of the prime minister's national security adviser, expressing support for the group, but later stated there were no grounds for a criminal investigation. Next month, the UK Supreme Court will hear the appeal of group co-founder Huda Ammori.