US imposes sanctions on Palestine Action after designating it a terrorist organisation

The Trump administration freezes the direct-action group's US-linked assets as legal battles over its British ban head to the Supreme Court.

By Steve Rowland · AI-assisted production, human-approved (how we work)
Published 27 August 2026 at 01:24 · Updated 27 August 2026 at 01:25

Developing · updated 1 hour ago

We are still following this story and this page updates as more is confirmed.

In brief

What happened

The United States has designated Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation and imposed sanctions, freezing its US-based or US-controlled assets. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the move, accusing the group of supporting multiple acts of terrorism since July 2020 that injured UK police and targeted commercial enterprises. Palestine Action co-founder Huda Ammori rejected the designation on social media, describing the label as hypocritical.

Why it matters

The US action follows a 2025 ban in the UK, where supporting the group was criminalised after direct-action campaigns against Israeli-linked arms firms resulted in over £1m in damage and an injured police officer. More than 2,000 people in Britain are currently facing potential trial after being arrested during protests against the proscription. The new American measures further escalate restrictions by cutting off the group's access to US financial lifelines.

What's next

Palestine Action is continuing its legal fight to overturn the UK government's proscription. Although Court of Appeal judges upheld the ban in June, the group has been granted permission to take its case to the Supreme Court. This upcoming Supreme Court review will determine the organisation's future legal status in Britain.

The United States has imposed sanctions on Palestine Action after designating the direct-action group as a terrorist organisation.

Under the new measures, any assets belonging to the group that are based in the US or held by American citizens have been frozen. The Treasury Department said the move is part of a wider wave of sanctions introduced by the Trump administration against what it describes as far-left terror organisations around the world.

Announcing the decision in a statement on Wednesday, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said: "Far-left extremists, their fronts, and their enablers should be on notice: We will bring the full weight of our economic tools to bear. Political terrorism has no place in our society, and we will continue to cut the financial lifelines of these groups until they are eliminated."

The US Treasury accused Palestine Action of supporting "numerous acts of terrorism since July 2020, including acts that have physically injured UK law enforcement personnel, as well as acts intended to intimidate lawful commercial enterprises and coerce the UK government".

Palestine Action co-founder Huda Ammori rejected the designation in a post on social media, writing: "As a Palestinian and Iraqi, the fact the country which destroyed both my homelands is calling me a terrorist, is beyond hypocritical."

The US measures follow a complete ban in Britain, where supporting Palestine Action became illegal in 2025 after the government proscribed it under anti-terror legislation. The group had repeatedly targeted UK-based defence companies linked to Israel.

The fallout from the UK ban continues to move through the courts. More than 2,000 people face potential trial after being arrested during mass demonstrations for allegedly declaring support for the proscribed group. Separately, four members were jailed in June over a break-in at a defence firm that caused more than £1m in damage, which included one person convicted of causing grievous bodily harm after a police officer was struck with a sledgehammer.

Palestine Action is currently challenging the British ban. Although Court of Appeal judges ruled in June that the government's proscription was a "justified and proportionate" interference with freedom of expression, the group has been granted permission to take its case to the Supreme Court.

I'll be tracking the Supreme Court appeal and the impact of these new American financial restrictions as the story develops.