Sinn Féin MP Chris Hazzard has described a recent court ruling against the ban on Palestine Action as a "damning indictment" of the British government's stance on protest rights.

The South Down representative was speaking after the High Court ruled that the proscription of the direct-action group was unlawful and disproportionate. The group had originally been banned as a terrorist organisation, a move that led to numerous arrests and widespread legal challenges.

Following the judgment, Mr Hazzard wrote to British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, arguing that the decision vindicates activists who have campaigned against the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The South Down MP said: "Friday's ruling was a watershed moment. It confirms what activists, lawyers and human rights organisations have been saying from the outset: highlighting the suffering of the Palestinian people and raising concerns about breaches of international law is not a crime. It never was. This ruling exposes the British state's attempt to suppress the Palestinian solidarity movement as unlawful, heavy‑handed and fundamentally undemocratic."

He continued: "Efforts to silence those exposing war crimes in Gaza – actions enabled by consecutive British governments – have now been struck down in court. No government should ever undermine the basic right of people to speak out against injustice or to stand in solidarity with those facing grave humanitarian crises."

Mr Hazzard further stated that the legal outcome should prompt a complete overhaul of how the UK approaches the region.

"The British government must now fundamentally reassess its policy on Palestine; end its complicity in the ongoing occupation, address the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza, and ensure its actions align with international law and global human rights standards. Nothing less is acceptable," he added.