The United States government has designated the UK-based group Palestine Action as a terrorist organization and imposed economic sanctions against it. The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced the move on Wednesday, accusing the group of supporting various acts of terrorism since July 2020. The designation follows a 2025 decision by the United Kingdom to ban the group under its own anti-terror legislation.
Palestine Action has historically used direct action tactics to target Israel-linked arms companies operating in the UK. The U.S. Treasury Department alleged the group's actions have physically injured British law enforcement personnel and were intended to intimidate commercial businesses to coerce the UK government. The group's co-founder, Huda Ammori, stated that the organization’s actions are intended to save lives and described the U.S. designation as hypocritical.
The sanctions include freezing all assets belonging to Palestine Action that are located within the United States or held by U.S. citizens. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that the action is part of an effort to eliminate the financial lifelines of organizations the administration characterizes as far-left extremists. This move coincides with a broader series of sanctions by the Trump administration against various international groups.
The scale of the U.S. sanctions means that any U.S.-based bank accounts, property, or digital assets belonging to Palestine Action are now inaccessible to the group. For U.S. citizens or residents, any attempt to send money or provide services to the group could lead to federal prosecution or significant fines. This effectively cuts the organization off from the American financial system and prevents any U.S. supporters from contributing to its legal defense funds or operational costs. This change is effective immediately following the Wednesday announcement.
The move sets a precedent for how the U.S. government coordinates with allies to restrict the movement and funding of activist groups that use "direct action" tactics. While the UK Court of Appeal previously ruled the British ban was a "proportionate" interference with freedom of expression, Palestine Action has been granted permission to challenge that ruling at the UK Supreme Court. The outcome of that upcoming court date will determine the group's legal status in Britain, though it will not automatically change the U.S. Department of the Treasury's terrorist designation.