Home Secretary set to proscribe Palestine Action after brazen military base attack that caused £30MILLION damage – as defiant protesters gather in Trafalgar Square
They zoomed across the runway on electric scooters in the dead of night, armed with repurposed fire extinguishers and crowbars. Within minutes, two of Britain’s military aircraft were out of action, sprayed with red paint and damaged beyond immediate repair.
Now the activists behind Friday’s audacious break-in at RAF Brize Norton are about to face the full force of anti-terror laws, as Home Secretary Yvette Cooper prepares to ban Palestine Action as a proscribed organisation.
The dramatic move – which would put the protest group on par with Al-Qaeda and ISIS – comes as dozens of supporters defied police orders and gathered in Trafalgar Square today, forced away from Parliament by an exclusion zone hastily imposed by Scotland Yard.
The £30 Million Wake-Up Call
According to security sources, the damage inflicted on two RAF Voyager aircraft during Friday’s pre-dawn raid could cost taxpayers at least £30 million – a staggering bill for what Palestine Action called a symbolic protest against Britain’s role in the Middle East conflict.
The activists, who remain at large after evading capture, posted shocking footage of their escapade online. The 34-second video shows two figures whizzing across the Brize Norton runway on e-scooters, heading straight for the military planes before unleashing torrents of red paint into the turbine engines.
By putting the planes out of service, activists have interrupted Britain’s direct participation in the commission of genocide and war crimes across the Middle East,” the group brazenly declared on its website.
But Defence Secretary John Healey wasn’t buying it. “These aircraft are used by our military personnel to support security and peace around the world,” he said. This action does nothing to support Gaza or our push for peace and stability in the Middle East.”
From Protests to Proscription
If Cooper’s expected parliamentary statement passes – and sources suggest it will – Palestine Action members could face up to 14 years in prison simply for belonging to the organisation. Wearing their insignia, attending meetings, or even expressing support online would become criminal offences overnight.
The group, founded in 2020 by Huda Ammori and Richard Barnard, has made headlines repeatedly for targeting what it calls the “Zionist war machine” – particularly defence contractor Elbit Systems, which has UK facilities.
But Friday’s attack represented a dangerous escalation. Counter-terrorism police from the South East unit are now leading the investigation, working alongside Thames Valley Police and the Ministry of Defence to hunt down the perpetrators.
Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley didn’t mince words yesterday: “This is an organised extremist criminal group, whose proscription as terrorists is being actively considered. Members are alleged to have caused millions of pounds of criminal damage, assaulted a police officer with a sledgehammer and last week claimed responsibility for breaking into an airbase and damaging aircraft.
‘Shocked and Frustrated’
The Commissioner’s fury was palpable as he addressed today’s protest plans. I’m sure many people will be as shocked and frustrated as I am to see a protest taking place in support of Palestine Action,” he said, noting that multiple members are already awaiting trial for serious offences.
Police imposed strict conditions on today’s demonstration, banning protesters from Westminster and limiting the gathering to three hours between noon and 3pm. The exclusion zone around Parliament sent a clear message: this group has crossed a line.
Yet supporters still turned out in Trafalgar Square, waving Palestinian flags and chanting slogans against what they call Britain’s “complicity” in Gaza. One protester, who refused to give her name, insisted: “They’re calling us terrorists for opposing actual war crimes. The real terrorists are those supplying weapons to kill children.
Security Shambles at Britain’s Biggest Base
Perhaps most alarming is how easily the activists penetrated what should be one of Britain’s most secure military installations. RAF Brize Norton isn’t just any airbase – it’s the UK’s strategic air transport hub, handling everything from troop deployments to humanitarian missions.
The Strategic Defence Review had already flagged vulnerabilities at RAF bases, warning that “logistic support arrangements must be more resilient to disruption and military assault.” Yet two activists on e-scooters managed to breach the perimeter, damage aircraft worth tens of millions, leave a Palestinian flag on the runway, and escape without being caught.
One defence analyst, speaking on condition of anonymity, called it “utterly embarrassing.” He added: “If two protesters can do this, what could a hostile state actor achieve? This is a massive wake-up call.”
The Wider Campaign
Palestine Action’s targeting of Brize Norton wasn’t random. The group claims flights depart daily from the Oxfordshire base to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus – just a 40-minute flight from Tel Aviv. From there, according to reports, RAF Shadow aircraft have conducted hundreds of surveillance flights over Gaza during the current conflict.
The activists said they targeted Voyager aircraft specifically because they’re used for mid-air refuelling of “Israeli, US and UK military aircraft and fighter jets.” However, flight tracking data suggests these planes primarily support Operation Shader – Britain’s counter-ISIS mission in Iraq and Syria.
This isn’t the first time Palestine Action has made headlines. In August, members drove a modified van into an Elbit Systems facility in Bristol, leading to terrorism charges. Eighteen activists were arrested in what became known as the “Filton 18” case.
Human Rights Concerns
Not everyone supports the government’s hardline approach. Amnesty International quickly expressed “deep concern” at using counter-terrorism powers against protest groups.
“This is the latest in a succession of measures taken by the UK government to clamp down on protest,” the organisation said. Terrorism powers should never have been used to aggravate criminal charges against Palestine Action activists. And they certainly shouldn’t be used to ban them.”
Civil liberties campaigners warn that proscribing Palestine Action could set a dangerous precedent. Where does legitimate protest end and extremism begin? Could environmental activists be next?
The Hamas Parallel
Ironically, the move to ban Palestine Action comes as Hamas itself is mounting a legal challenge against its UK terror designation. The Palestinian group has instructed British lawyers to appeal the 2021 decision that extended the ban from its military wing to the entire organisation.
Their 106-page submission argues the proscription “pursued explicitly political objectives” and creates a “chilling effect on academia, journalism and public discourse.” Hamas lawyers claim the designation criminalises ordinary Palestinians in Gaza and hinders efforts to broker peace.
What Happens Next?
Cooper’s statement to Parliament is expected early this week. If MPs vote to proscribe Palestine Action, the ban would take effect immediately. Current members would have a grace period to disassociate themselves, but continued involvement would risk serious jail time.
For the activists who stormed Brize Norton, the stakes couldn’t be higher. What began as a protest against military flights to Cyprus could end with decades behind bars under terrorism legislation.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defence has launched an urgent security review across all military bases. Defence sources confirm that additional measures are being implemented, though specifics remain classified for obvious reasons.
The Bottom Line
Whether you view Palestine Action as freedom fighters or dangerous extremists, one thing is clear: Friday’s attack crossed a red line. Breaking into military bases and sabotaging aircraft isn’t protest – it’s a national security threat.
The government’s response sends an unmistakable message: target Britain’s military infrastructure and face the full weight of anti-terror laws. For Palestine Action, the party’s over.
As one senior security source put it: “You can protest. You can boycott. You can campaign. But the moment you start attacking military assets, you’ve entered different territory entirely. That’s not activism – that’s sabotage.”
The question now is whether other groups will heed the warning, or whether this marks the beginning of a new, more dangerous phase in Britain’s protest movements. One thing’s certain: after Brize Norton, nothing will be quite the same again.
