Sally Rooney Challenges UK Over Palestine Action Ban
Irish novelist Sally Rooney has openly criticised the UK government’s stance on Palestine Action, saying she would continue to support the banned group despite its designation under counter-terrorism laws.
Writing in The Irish Times, Rooney explained that she intended to use royalties received from the BBC for adaptations of her books to fund Palestine Action.
The group was declared illegal in July by UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper after activists allegedly damaged two military aircraft at Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, causing losses worth £7m. Membership, support, or financing of the group now carries a penalty of up to 14 years in prison.
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Rooney, author of Normal People, argued that her novels remain widely available in Britain, sold in bookshops and supermarkets, while the BBC continues to adapt her work. She questioned whether the government should then also investigate the organisations that publish and promote her writing.
The writer said her decision to speak out followed the arrest of more than 500 protesters on 9 August. She accused Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government of eroding civil liberties in order to protect ties with Israel.
Rooney added that if her actions are seen as terrorism under UK law, then she was prepared to accept that label.
