The UK Government is preparing to designate Palestine Action as a proscribed organisation, effectively making it illegal to be a member of the group, the UK Defence Journal understands.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is expected to lay a written statement before Parliament next week, initiating the process of formally banning the group under counter-terrorism legislation.
The move follows a break-in at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, during which military aircraft were vandalised with red paint by pro-Palestinian activists.
The incident, which took place on Wednesday, involved members of the group Palestine Action breaching security at Britain’s largest airbase and damaging two RAF Voyager aircraft.
Using electric scooters to access the base, the activists sprayed red paint into the aircraft engines with repurposed fire extinguishers and reportedly used crowbars to inflict further damage. Red paint was also spread across the runway. The activists evaded immediate arrest.
Here’s the footage from the recent incident at RAF Brize Norton in which two Voyager aircraft were damaged by spray paint and crowbars by Palestine Action members. These aircraft, despite claims made by the group, aren’t involved in Israeli operations. pic.twitter.com/7OnnedZBoV
— UK Defence Journal (@UKDefJournal) June 20, 2025
The Ministry of Defence condemned the incident. A spokesperson said: “We strongly condemn this vandalism of Royal Air Force assets. We are working closely with the police who are investigating. Our Armed Forces represent the very best of Britain. They put their lives on the line for us, and their display of duty, dedication and selfless personal sacrifice are an inspiration to us all. It is our responsibility to support those who defend us.”
Palestine Action claimed responsibility, stating that “by decommissioning two military planes, Palestine Action have directly intervened in the genocide and prevented crimes against the Palestinian people.” The group further alleged that: “From Cyprus, British planes collect intelligence, refuel fighter jets and transport weapons to commit genocide in Gaza.”
This claim is factually inaccurate on multiple counts. The United Kingdom is not supplying weapons to Israel for use in Gaza, and the RAF Voyager aircraft in question are not involved in operations supporting the Israeli military. Defence sources stress that these tankers primarily support Operation Shader, the UK’s long-running mission against Islamic State (Daesh) in Iraq and Syria. In addition, the aircraft contribute to Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) missions, providing aerial refuelling for RAF Typhoons that protect British airspace.
Moreover, the technical claim that RAF tankers are refuelling Israeli aircraft is not only unsubstantiated but physically impossible. RAF Voyagers use a probe-and-drogue system for aerial refuelling, which is compatible with UK and NATO aircraft. In contrast, Israeli fast jets require flying boom refuelling, a fundamentally different method used by US and Israeli tankers. The two systems are incompatible.
A source familiar with RAF deployments described the attack as “utterly pointless,” noting that the group’s assumptions demonstrate a lack of understanding about how UK military aviation functions. “The aircraft targeted are not used in support of Israeli forces. The UK operates independently and Israel has no requirement for British tankers – they operate their own fleet.”
Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the attack disgraceful, writing: “The act of vandalism committed at RAF Brize Norton is disgraceful. Our Armed Forces represent the very best of Britain and put their lives on the line for us every day. It is our responsibility to support those who defend us.”
Shadow Armed Forces Minister Mark Francois warned of the wider implications, stating: “There are also serious questions for the MoD to answer about how ‘protesters’ – who might even have turned out to be armed terrorists – were able to gain access to what is supposed to be a secure RAF airbase.”
Image via Palestine Action.
Good, now we just have to hunt them down. This group has caused no end of trouble in Scotland.
I think we owe them a vote of thanks. In the SDR, Brize Norton was identified as an especially vulnerable single point of failure. A couple of weeks later protesters ride in on motorbikes with fire extinguishers full of paint. Let’s just be grateful they weren’t full of explosives, take it as a timely warning, instigate some security and not continue to put all our eggs in one undefended basket.
Security services need to stamp these scum out immediately.
MI5 must know who their members are. Arrest the lot. Haul them. Prosecute them for being part of a terrorist organisation.
Anyone not a UK citizen deport with immediate effect.
Come on HMG time to do what’s right. These people are the enemy within and do not deserve the privilege to be freely living and roaming around in British society
There used to be a crime with the rather odd name of treachery referring to acts of sabotage. Not sure whether it still exists but was on a par with treason but for foreign nationals.
Could have done without the crowbars.
No riot shields and dogs like there were in Rotherham?
If we have decided to play lifeboat for the world’s poor, we can’t continue to operate as if this is still a homogenous population with no fifth columnists as was the case prior to about 1990. Can’t have effectively unguarded military assets when the enemy is already within
Good but can we also hire the odd security guard with a torch who could pop out at night and see if the aeroplanes are still there.
DOSSERS
Shambolic, embarrassing, enough said
Yeah, that’ll stop it happening again and no money spent to do it. Win-win.
Good they need to all be brought to justice and the RAF needs to get it act together on base security.
It’s being reported Starmer actually defended one of these lunatics back in 2003 with defendant walking free as no verdict was reached. Apparently Starmer had claimed the defendant was justified in his actions in 2003 because if successful would have prevented a war crime. Apparently he had to take the case something called the cab rank rule. Quite amusing really because cabbies quite often refuse rides to some. I guess some professions have different moral standards to others.
Halt, who goes there!
Remember those days.
What worries me more. Is the language from government, calling this ‘vandalism’, why is this being pulled down to a bus shelter level, it’s not vandalism. If the aircraft could be affected in its operability then it’s sabotage. The paint is sprayed directly into the engine with the canister, a modified fire extinguisher, thrown into the engine also. They could have sprayed the wing with a slogan for example, but no, the intent was to knock out the plane. Their web site announce the intention to knock out the aircraft. So it’s all there, sabotage in plain sight, so why are doors not getting kicked in and people being arrested.