Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has confirmed plans to outlaw Palestine Action under terrorism legislation, a move that would criminalise support for the activist group known for its direct action against institutions linked to Israel’s military operations.

The announcement comes days after Palestine Action activists broke into RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire and spray-painted two military planes red, prompting a major investigation by counter-terrorism police.

Cooper described the incident as “disgraceful” and said the group posed a threat to national security.

“If Parliament agrees, membership or support of Palestine Action will become a criminal offence,” Cooper said, explaining the group’s activities “meet the threshold set out in the statutory tests established under the Terrorism Act 2000.”

She said the group had carried out repeated acts of criminal damage since its formation in 2020, causing “millions of pounds” in losses.

“The UK’s defence enterprise is vital to the nation's national security and this government will not tolerate those that put that security at risk,” she added.

Palestine Action, which calls itself a “direct action movement,” dismissed the planned ban as “unhinged.”

In a statement, it said, “The real crime here is not red paint being sprayed on these war planes, but the war crimes that have been enabled with those planes because of the UK government’s complicity in Israel’s genocide.”

The group, whose actions have included targeting defence contractors and other companies linked to Israel, said it is pursuing legal options.

“We are teachers, nurses, students and parents who take part in actions disrupting the private companies who are arming Israel's genocide… It is plainly preposterous to rank us with terrorist groups like ISIS, National Action and Boko Haram,” the group stated.

Friday’s break-in at Brize Norton has sparked renewed concerns over security at military installations. Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard told Parliament that two RAF Voyager aircraft were damaged with paint, but said there was no wider impact on operations.

“This was not only epically stupid, but it was also a direct attack on our national security,” he said, adding that security has now been tightened across defence sites.

Cooper assured that the planned ban targets only Palestine Action and will not affect peaceful protest groups.

“It is vitally important that those seeking to protest peacefully, including pro-Palestinian groups, those opposing the actions of the Israeli government, and those demanding changes in the UK’s foreign policy, can continue to do so,” she said.

The government pointed to other incidents involving the group, including a 2022 break-in at a Thales defence factory in Glasgow that caused more than £1.1 million in damages.

Other actions have targeted Elbit Systems UK and the Instro Precision factory in Kent.

Palestine Action held a protest in central London on the same day as Cooper’s announcement, drawing hundreds to Trafalgar Square after police banned demonstrations outside Parliament.

Thirteen people were arrested during the event, which police said was subject to conditions due to public safety concerns.

Among those arrested, six were held for assaulting an emergency worker, while others faced charges for refusing to disperse, obstruction and a racially aggravated offence.

Scotland Yard had issued an exclusion zone across much of Westminster, forcing the group to shift its planned protest site at the last minute. Protesters carried Palestinian flags and placards, chanting: “We will not be silenced.”

The move to ban Palestine Action has drawn political criticism.

Former Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf called it a “shameful abuse of anti-terror legislation” and an “utterly ludicrous overreaction.” Labour MP Nadia Whittome said it could set a “dangerous precedent” for how future governments deal with dissent.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves defended the action, saying, “To cause damage to military assets, but also to cause such damage to privately owned assets, it is unacceptable whatever your views are on what’s happening in the Middle East.”

Cooper is expected to present the draft proscription order to Parliament next week. If passed, it will carry penalties of up to 14 years in prison for anyone found to be a member of or offering support to the group.