Palestine Action 1 of 3 groups to be banned in UK: Government statement

Offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison to belong to, support groups, if order is passed

Palestine Action is among three organizations to be banned in the UK, the British government announced on Tuesday. "Palestine Action, Maniacs Murder Cult and Russian Imperial Movement set to be banned following advice from cross-government experts," said a statement from the government. It came after plans announced by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper as a draft order has been laid in parliament to ban the groups.   If passed, the order will make it a criminal offence to be a member of one of the groups or to invite or recklessly express support for them, and make it an offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison to belong to or support the groups. Cooper said that the government will "always take the action needed" to protect the country's democracy and national security against different threats. "Maniacs Murder Cult, Palestine Action and the Russian Imperial Movement have each passed the threshold for proscription based on clear national security evidence and assessments," she said in a statement. The home secretary announced her intention last week to ban Palestine Action, a UK-based group that aims to disrupt the operations of weapons manufacturers supplying the Israeli government. Hundreds gathered in central Trafalgar Square on the day of the announcement to express support for Palestine Action amid reports suggesting the group will be added to the terror list. The intention to ban the group comes after activists from the group broke into RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire and damaged two aircraft June 20 to protest the UK's support for Israel and its attacks on the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, a group of more than 400 cultural figures urged the British government Monday to step back from its intention to ban Palestine Action and to "stop arming Israel."