Politics
Calls to treat Palestine Action as terrorists after activists damage planes at RAF Brize Norton
Kemi Badenoch: ‘This is not lawful protest, it is politically-motivated criminality’
June 20, 2025 11:10
Kemi Badenoch: ‘This is not lawful protest, it is politically-motivated criminality’
June 20, 2025 11:10The government is facing calls to take robust action against pro-Palestine group Palestine Action, after the group appeared to break into a key RAF base and damage military aircraft.
On Friday morning, the group claimed that two of its members had broken into RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire – the largest RAF Station with approximately 5,800 Service Personnel on site – and damaged two planes, which they accused of aiding the Israeli army.
Footage shared by the organisation appeared to show an activist riding an e-scooter in the base and spraying red paint into a plane.
BREAKING: Palestine Action break into RAF Brize Norton and damage two military aircrafts.
Flights depart daily from the base to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus.
From Cyprus, British planes collect intelligence, refuel fighter jets and transport weapons to commit genocide in Gaza. pic.twitter.com/zzmFqGKW8N
“Flights depart daily from the base to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus. From Cyprus, British planes collect intelligence, refuel fighter jets and transport weapons to commit genocide in Gaza”, the group said in a post on social media and claimed that their activists were able to escape undetected.
The act of vandalism committed at RAF Brize Norton is disgraceful.
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) June 20, 2025
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.
The prime minister described the incident as a “disgraceful” act of vandalism.
However, the government is today facing calls to take tougher action against Palestine Action.
Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch described the security breach at Brize Norton as “deeply concerning”.
"This is not lawful protest, it is politically-motivated criminality”, she added.
Badenoch went on to say: "We must stop tolerating terrorist or extremist groups that seek to undermine our society. The full force of the law must come down on those responsible."
Lord Walney, the government’s former adviser on political violence and extremism told the JC that following this “grotesque breach of military security” it was time for the government to act to ban the group.
“With Iran’s nuclear programme on the brink and Britain facing rising threats from abroad, we shouldn’t let these criminal activists act like the Ayatollah’s apparatchiks by attacking the country from within.”
“Employees at the workplaces they target have been systematically terrorised by Palestine Action for too long – this is the moment for ministers to proscribe the group as terrorists or enact the new sanctions recommended in my review submitted to Downing Street and the Home Office.”
In a review published in May last year, prior to the 2024 general election, Walney recommended that Palestine Action, which he described as an “extreme protest group” be banned, even if there weren’t judged to meet the full terrorist threshold.
Several other senior politicians, including Labour MPs have called on the government to take tough action against the pro-Palestine group.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage told the JC that the security breach at Brize Norton was “very serious indeed” and that “harsh prosecutions are needed”.
Hemel Hempstead MP David Taylor told the JC that Palestine Action “should now be considered for proscription under the Terrorism Act”.
The Labour MP added: “This group have engaged in illegal activity: smashing into defence sites, vandalising property, and disrupting key infrastructure. These are not isolated incidents, they are part of a coordinated campaign of unlawful direct action”, he said
“We cannot allow groups who glorify and incite violence to operate unchecked under the guise of activism", Taylor added.
North Durham MP Luke Akehurst also condemned their actions.
“The right to protest is a fundamental part of our democracy but this right does not extend to activities that promote violence or criminal damage. I urge the Government to develop a new framework for restricting the activities of extreme protest groups such as Palestine Action”, he said.
In March this year, two former defence ministers urged the government to take much more robust action against Palestine Action.
Conservative Dr Andrew Murrison, who served as defence minister under Rishi Sunak, labelled them a “national security threat” amid the damage and disruption they had caused to sites linked to Britain’s defence and security.
Lord Spellar, who served as armed forces minister under Tony Blair, called for a thorough response to any disruption by pro-Palestine activists: “These people seem to think they're a law unto themselves; the police and the legal system ought to be cracking down.”
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson told the JC: “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.”