LONDON — Britain’s High Court ruled Friday that the ban on Palestine Action as a terrorist organization is unlawful.

The organization’s co-founder Huda Ammori successfully challenged the British government’s decision to proscribe Palestine Action under the Terrorism Act 2000 after three judges, led by Victoria Sharp, said ministers acted unlawfully.

Membership or support of the group was made illegal last July and punishable by prison sentences of up to 14 years. 

Ammori argued the move by the Home Office disproportionately interfered with freedom of expression and freedom of assembly, which the court concurred with. Judges also said the ban was not consistent with the government’s policy to limit the ability to declare groups as terrorist organizations.

“The nature and scale of Palestine Action’s activities falling within the definition of terrorism had not yet reached the level, scale and persistence to warrant proscription,” the summary read.

However, Judge Sharp said the ban will not be lifted until a further court order “pending the possibility of an appeal.” In its judgment, the court said Palestine Action carried out acts “amounting to terrorism,” was not an “ordinary protest group” and intended to “promote the use of violence.”

The ban on Palestine Action was the first on a direct action group, and catergorized it alongside groups like Islamic State, Hezbollah and  al-Qaeda. Palestine Action previously broke into RAF Brize Norton in June and damaged two military jets.

Since the proscription, more than 2,700 people have been arrested and hundreds have been charged in a civil disobedience campaign for expressing support for the group, according to the Defend Our Juries group.

In a statement, Ammori said the verdict was a “monumental victory both for our fundamental freedoms here in Britain and in the struggle for freedom for the Palestinian people,” adding the ban was a “Trumpian abuse of power which would have seen this Labour government proscribe the Suffragettes.”

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood expressed her disappointment at the judgment, which the government will fight in the Court of Appeal, and said the ban was not disproportionate.

“The proscription of Palestine Action followed a rigorous and evidence-based decision-making process,” Mahmood said in a statement. “The proscription does not prevent peaceful protest in support of the Palestinian cause, another point on which the court agrees.

“As a former lord chancellor, I have the deepest respect for our judiciary. Home secretaries must however retain the ability to take action to protect our national security and keep the public safe.”

The Independent reported the Home Office has spent £694,390.03 on fighting the legal battle. Politico