The UK Authorities is making ready to designate Palestine Motion as a proscribed organisation, successfully making it unlawful to be a member of the group, the UK Defence Journal understands.
Residence Secretary Yvette Cooper is predicted to put a written assertion earlier than Parliament subsequent week, initiating the method of formally banning the group beneath counter-terrorism laws.
The transfer follows a break-in at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, throughout which navy plane had been vandalised with pink paint by pro-Palestinian activists.
The incident, which passed off on Wednesday, concerned members of the group Palestine Motion breaching safety at Britain’s largest airbase and damaging two RAF Voyager plane.
Utilizing electrical scooters to entry the bottom, the activists sprayed pink paint into the plane engines with repurposed fireplace extinguishers and reportedly used crowbars to inflict additional injury. Pink paint was additionally unfold throughout the runway. The activists evaded instant arrest.
Right here’s the footage from the current incident at RAF Brize Norton by which two Voyager plane had been broken by spray paint and crowbars by Palestine Motion members. These plane, regardless of claims made by the group, aren’t concerned in Israeli operations. pic.twitter.com/7OnnedZBoV
— UK Defence Journal (@UKDefJournal) June 20, 2025
The Ministry of Defence condemned the incident. A spokesperson mentioned: “We strongly condemn this vandalism of Royal Air Drive property. We’re working carefully with the police who’re investigating. Our Armed Forces symbolize the easiest of Britain. They put their lives on the road for us, and their show of responsibility, dedication and selfless private sacrifice are an inspiration to us all. It’s our accountability to help those that defend us.”
Palestine Motion claimed accountability, stating that “by decommissioning two navy planes, Palestine Motion have straight intervened within the genocide and prevented crimes in opposition to the Palestinian folks.” The group additional alleged that: “From Cyprus, British planes accumulate intelligence, refuel fighter jets and transport weapons to commit genocide in Gaza.”
This declare is factually inaccurate on a number of counts. The UK shouldn’t be supplying weapons to Israel to be used in Gaza, and the RAF Voyager plane in query usually are not concerned in operations supporting the Israeli navy. Defence sources stress that these tankers primarily help Operation Shader, the UK’s long-running mission in opposition to Islamic State (Daesh) in Iraq and Syria. As well as, the plane contribute to Fast Response Alert (QRA) missions, offering aerial refuelling for RAF Typhoons that defend British airspace.
Regardless of claims, British tankers can not refuel Israeli jets
Furthermore, the technical declare that RAF tankers are refuelling Israeli plane shouldn’t be solely unsubstantiated however bodily inconceivable. RAF Voyagers use a probe-and-drogue system for aerial refuelling, which is appropriate with UK and NATO plane. In distinction, Israeli quick jets require flying growth refuelling, a basically completely different methodology utilized by US and Israeli tankers. The 2 methods are incompatible.
A supply acquainted with RAF deployments described the assault as “completely pointless,” noting that the group’s assumptions display a lack of information about how UK navy aviation capabilities. “The plane focused usually are not utilized in help of Israeli forces. The UK operates independently and Israel has no requirement for British tankers – they function their very own fleet.”
Prime Minister Keir Starmer known as the assault disgraceful, writing: “The act of vandalism dedicated at RAF Brize Norton is disgraceful. Our Armed Forces symbolize the easiest of Britain and put their lives on the road for us every single day. It’s our accountability to help those that defend us.”
Shadow Armed Forces Minister Mark Francois warned of the broader implications, stating: “There are additionally critical questions for the MoD to reply about how ‘protesters’ – who may even have turned out to be armed terrorists – had been in a position to acquire entry to what’s speculated to be a safe RAF airbase.”
Picture through Palestine Motion.