More than 130 prominent individuals, including scholars, writers, and artists, have publicly challenged the United Kingdom’s ban on the pro-Palestinian group Palestine Action. They signed an open letter to the Court of Appeal ahead of a hearing in London next week, declaring their opposition to genocide and support for the group. The signatories include Irish author Sally Rooney, Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, British musician Brian Eno, and academics from Oxford and Cambridge universities.

The letter, containing only a few words, has become a symbol of the “Lift the Ban” campaign, launched after the UK government banned Palestine Action under terrorism laws in July 2025. Since then, thousands of the group’s supporters have reportedly been arrested. Professor Penny Green of Queen Mary University of London criticized the government for labeling peaceful protesters as terrorists and accused the Labour government of avoiding accountability.

Human rights organizations and UN experts have also condemned the UK’s increasing crackdown on peaceful demonstrations and urged the government to lift the ban on Palestine Action.