News

High Court strikes down Palestine Action ‘terror’ ban

Published

5 months ago

February 13, 2026

Welsh arrests now deemed unlawful as judges rule proscription breached human rights

THE High Court has ruled that the UK Government acted unlawfully when it branded protest group Palestine Action a terrorist organisation – a decision that directly affects dozens of arrests made in Wales.

In a landmark judgement delivered on Thursday (Feb 13) at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, judges said the ban represented a disproportionate attack on the rights to free speech and peaceful assembly.

The ruling means arrests made under the proscription since last summer could now be unlawful.

Campaigners say at least 34 people were detained in Wales alone.

Palestine Action had been banned under the Terrorism Act 2000 in July 2025, making it a criminal offence to show support for the group. The move marked the first time a non-violent civil disobedience organisation focused on property damage – rather than violence against people – had been classified alongside terrorist groups.

Welsh protesters affected

Demonstrations took place across Wales as part of the nationwide “Lift the Ban” campaign organised by Defend Our Juries.

Silent vigils and placard protests were held in both Cardiff and Swansea.

Campaign figures show:

• 13 arrests outside BBC Wales headquarters last July
• 12 more during November protests in Cardiff
• Nine detained on the steps of the Senedd Cymru

Across the UK, nearly 3,000 people were arrested, including clergy, teachers and pensioners.

Court criticism of Home Office

The case was brought by Palestine Action co-founder Huda Ammori.

After a three-day judicial review, judges Dame Victoria Sharp, Jonathan Swift and Karen Steyn found the Home Office had failed to properly consult the group and had not followed its own proportionality rules.

They ruled the ban breached Articles 10 and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights – protections covering freedom of expression and assembly.

In a statement, Ammori said:
“This is a monumental victory both for our fundamental freedoms here in Britain and for the Palestinian people.”

A Defend Our Juries spokesperson added:
“Branding peaceful protest as terrorism is something you expect from dictatorships, not democracies.”

Border links to Wales

The issue has particular relevance locally.

Palestine Action has frequently targeted sites near the Welsh border, including facilities run by Elbit Systems at Filton and Aztec West, less than thirty miles from Cardiff.

Activists allege the company supplies drones and equipment used in Gaza.

Six protesters were recently acquitted by a jury following damage at the Filton site, arguing their actions were intended to prevent greater harm overseas.

That proximity has drawn many Welsh campaigners into demonstrations, with protests spilling into Wales amid wider concerns over UK arms exports.

Appeal pending

The Government has been granted time to appeal.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said ministers were “disappointed” and would challenge the decision at the Court of Appeal.

The quashing of the ban has therefore been temporarily paused.

Legal experts warn that while the judgement casts doubt on earlier arrests, individuals may still need separate legal action to clear records or seek compensation.

Wider implications

Civil liberties groups including Amnesty International had warned the proscription risked setting a precedent for using anti-terror laws against non-violent movements such as climate activists.

For many in Wales, the ruling is seen as a reaffirmation of the right to protest.

One Cardiff campaigner said:
“This was never about supporting violence. It was about the right to stand up and speak out.”

With tensions over Gaza continuing and further demonstrations planned, Thursday’s decision is likely to reignite debate over the limits of protest — and how far the state can go to suppress dissent.

For now, however, activists say the High Court has drawn a clear line.

Peaceful protest, judges ruled, is not terrorism.

Community

Milford Haven Carnival organisers appeal for help from residents

Published

6 hours ago

July 1, 2026

Tom Sinclair

MILFORD HAVEN ROUND TABLE is asking residents in Hakin and Hubberston to help keep roads clear ahead of this Saturday’s Carnival Procession.

Organisers say the event is shaping up to be one of the biggest yet, with a large number of floats, lorries and support vehicles expected to make their way through Hakin before the procession begins at Waterloo Square.

Residents living along Gelliswick Road, Rectory Avenue, Glebelands and Picton Road, particularly near the junction with Observatory Avenue, are being asked to avoid double parking or parking on pavements where possible between around 11.45am and 1.00pm.

The route being used by the floats and support vehicles is shown on the map.

Some of the vehicles involved are large, and organisers say keeping the roads as clear as possible for the short period will help ensure the procession reaches Waterloo Square safely and on time.

Milford Haven Round Table said the carnival “belongs to the whole community” and thanked residents for their continued support.

They added: “Your understanding and cooperation, even for this short time, will make a huge difference and help make this year’s Carnival another fantastic day for our town.”

Residents are also being encouraged to share the message with friends, family and neighbours who live along the affected roads.

Crime

New Year’s Day drug-driver banned after police stop in Milford Haven

Published

6 hours ago

July 1, 2026

Sarah Jane Absalom

A NEW YEAR’S EVE drive has resulted in a 12-month road ban after a motorist was found to be more than twice the legal cannabis limit.

Ridwan Rahman, 20, was stopped by police as he drove his Vauxhall Astra along Steynton Road, Milford Haven, on January 1.

“Police noted the car accelerating away from traffic lights in an erratic manner,” Crown Prosecutor Sian Vaughan told Haverfordwest magistrates this week.

“When officers asked the vehicle to stop, they smelt cannabis coming from inside.”

A blood test later showed Rahman had 5.2mcg of delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol, the active ingredient in cannabis, in his system. The legal limit is 2mcg.

Rahman, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to drug-driving. He was represented in court by solicitor Alaw Harries, who disputed the prosecution’s claim that he had been driving erratically.

“He does not accept that he was driving in an erratic manner, nor that he accelerated away from the traffic lights,” she said.

“The officers told him he had been stopped because the vehicle’s registration plate light was not working.”

Rahman, of Carbon Close, Newport, was fined £323 and ordered to pay a £129 court surcharge and £85 costs.

He was disqualified from driving for 12 months.

Crime

Fishguard man jailed after breaching order banning contact with mother

Published

6 hours ago

July 1, 2026

Sarah Jane Absalom

A FISHGUARD man has been jailed after breaching a restraining order which banned him from contacting his mother.

Steven O’Sullivan attended his mother’s home on June 22, despite the order having been imposed in November 2012. It prohibited him from having any direct or indirect contact with her.

“She felt she needed to phone the police because she was frightened of her son,” Crown Prosecutor Sian Vaughan told Haverfordwest magistrates this week.

“He had been dropped off at his mother’s property by a female, and his mother went upstairs to ring the police because he makes her feel vulnerable.”

When officers arrived, they found O’Sullivan inside an outbuilding, crouching beside an outside toilet.

“There have been a number of previous breaches, the most recent being on June 5,” continued Ms Vaughan. “Now we have yet another one on June 22.”

O’Sullivan, of Gwelfor, Fishguard, is currently on remand at Swansea Prison. He is also accused of stealing beer and food worth £45 from the Nisa store in Haverfordwest on June 21.

Representing him in court, solicitor Tom Lloyd said there had been no threats of violence when O’Sullivan went to his mother’s home.

“But the aggravating factor is his previous convictions,” he told the bench.

“He was particularly upset and had nowhere else to go. This was why he went to see his mother.”

Magistrates jailed O’Sullivan for eight weeks. He was also ordered to pay a £154 court surcharge and £85 costs.

He is due to return to Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on July 7 to enter a plea in relation to the alleged theft offence.