The British government’s decision to ban on the pro-Palestinian campaign group ‌Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation is lawful, London’s court of appeal ruled ​on Monday.Palestine Action, which had increasingly targeted Israel-linked defence companies in Britain with a particular focus on Israel’s largest defence firm Elbit ​Systems, was proscribed under terrorism laws last year.London’s high court ruled ⁠in February, after a legal challenge by the group’s ‌co-founder, ‌that ​the ban unlawfully interfered with freedom of expression, although it remained proscribed pending the government’s ⁠appeal.Chief ​justice Sue Carr, the most ​senior judge in England and Wales, said the group’s ‌behaviour was not that of ​a non-violent, direct action organisation, and the appeal court had ⁠concluded proscription was justified ⁠and ​proportionate.Lawyers for British interior minister, Shabana Mahmood, had argued at a hearing in April that the conclusion the ban had a significant impact on freedom of expression was “overstated and wrong”.But Huda Ammori, who co-founded Palestine Action in 2020, said proscription had ‌imposed “severe restrictions on ⁠the fundamental free speech and assembly rights of vast numbers of people” who supported the Palestinian cause.The judge ‌said any such ban was “highly controversial” but added “it is a ​fundamental mistake to overlook the fact ​that Palestine Action overtly promoted unlawful violence amounting to terrorism”. – Reuters