Yvette Cooper to proscribe Palestine Action as a terror group but delays implementation for a WEEK despite national security risks

Protesters were seen in London today, protesting against the Government's decision to ban the group. GB News understand that within an hour of the protest beginning, multiple people were arrested.

Sources suggest the process of proscribing Palestine Action should be completed by a week on Friday, once the Commons has voted on the motion.

In a written statement, the Home Secretary said: "I have decided to proscribe Palestine Action under section 3 of the Terrorism Act 2000. A draft proscription order will be laid in Parliament on Monday, June 30.

"If passed, it will make it illegal to be a member of, or invite support for, Palestine Action. This decision is specific to Palestine Action and does not affect lawful protest groups and other organisations campaigning on issues around Palestine or the Middle East."

The banning will place Palestine Action on par with Hamas, al-Qaeda and Isis.

The decision comes after two of the group's activists broke into RAF Brize Norton and damaged two Voyager aircraft.

Cooper echoed Sir Keir Starmer's comments, calling the act "disgraceful".

The Home Secretary said: "The disgraceful attack on Brize Norton in the early hours of the morning on Friday, June 20, is the latest in a long history of unacceptable criminal damage committed by Palestine Action.

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"The UK's defence enterprise is vital to the nation's national security, and this Government will not tolerate those who put that security at risk."

Cooper confirmed that Counter Terrorism Police are conducting a criminal investigation into the attack.

In her statement, the Home Secretary discussed the media output of Palestine Action, explaining how the group "promotes its attacks involving serious property damage".

Cooper said: "Palestine Action's online presence has enabled the organisation to galvanise support, recruit and train members across the UK to take part in criminal activity and raise considerable funds through online donations.

"The group has a footprint in all 45 policing regions in the UK and has pledged to escalate its campaign.

"It is vitally important that those seeking to protest peacefully, including pro-Palestinian groups, those opposing the actions of the Israeli Government, and those demanding changes in the UK's foreign policy, can continue to do so.

A Palestine Action spokesman said in response to the Home Secretary's Statement: "This is an unhinged reaction to an action spraying paint in protest to the UK Government arming Israel's slaughter of the Palestinian people.

"The real crime here is not red paint being sprayed on these war planes, but the war crimes that have been enabled with those planes because of the UK Government's complicity in Israel's genocide.

"It also smacks of rank hypocrisy from Keir Starmer, who rightly defended protesters who broke into an RAF base in 2003 to stop US bombers heading to Iraq, with Starmer asserting that this protest as lawful because their intention was to prevent war crimes."

"The right to peaceful protest is a cornerstone of our democracy. Should Parliament vote to proscribe, that right will be unaffected."

Her decision follows a Palestine Action protest seen in London today, as dozens of protesters took to Trafalgar Square, protesting against Cooper's decision.

The Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, said he was "shocked and frustrated" at the group's plans to protest before the Home Secretary's ruling.

Placards from the protest read: "Britain, US, Israel are terrorists... Hands off Palestine Action. Defend the right to protest. Drop the charges."