By Rohan Gunaratna

Introduction

When protesters disrupt the day-to-day life of the ordinary citizens of a country, it is not a protest. When protesters harass those serving national security institutions or attack the national security assets of a country, it is not a protest. When the protesters leave behind a trail of death and destruction, it is not a protest.

After Israel responded with overwhelming force to the Hamas-led terrorist attack in Israel on October 7, 2023, the world witnessed pro-Palestinian protests. Most of these protests were peaceful at the beginning. Gradually with the infiltration of protests by paid agents of foreign governments, they turned unruly. While some incited violence against the Israelis and the Jews, others called for attacks against their own governments for the positions they took to work with their allies and partners to end terrorism and its sponsorship.

Unfortunately, the pro-Palestine movement has been subverted by violent extremist propaganda and performative activists eager to build their image as social justice warriors. Precious little of the original desire for a true end to the conflict, restoration of Palestinian dignity, and a genuine effort towards a two-state solution remains within this movement.

How did this happen?

The Pro-Palestine movement is built on very shaky foundations of half-truths or outright misunderstandings of history. The truth, however, is that there is a serious problem with the pro-Palestine Movement and its understanding of statecraft, security, and peace and conflict; as I wrote in my previous article titled “The Problem with the pro-Palestine Movement”.

As such, most protests, transforming into activism, have led to violence and chaos. The protests and activism have done nothing good for any country. In a few cases, from the UK to Australia, the radicalisation led to acts of terrorism and arson. Investigations revealed that Hamas propaganda influenced some of the protesters. Investigations also revealed that some of these protests were not organic but orchestrated by foreign governments. It is high time for governments to review the existing legislation governing protests and respond to this emerging threat.

The Context

A protester is generally considered to have crossed the red line when their actions shift from peaceful, constitutional assembly to activities that involve violence, destruction of property, or illegal disruption. While definitions vary based on location and government, the red line is typically crossed through;

Violence and vandalism causing bodily harm, destroying property, looting, or looting shops.
Violating security zones by intentionally breaching established security perimeters or entering restricted “red zones”.
Marching on active, high-speed roadways or acting in a way that risks the safety of themselves or others.
Activities that prevent government functions or breach legal constraints on peaceful demonstration.

These illegal disruptions damaged the very spirit of protesting to convey to the authorities the very central message of peaceful protesting.

Background

The UK has developed some of the finest laws to deal with terrorism, including the Prevention of Terrorism Act. The British experts should examine what more can be done in the light of a series of acts of vandalism targeting the British defence industry and intimidating British personnel serving in its national security establishment.

The protesters, primarily affiliated with the direct-action group called ‘Palestine Action’, have crossed the redline. They have targeted various defence facilities, arms manufacturers, and military sites across the UK[1]. These actions, aimed at disrupting the supply of weapons to Israel during the Gaza conflict, have included high-profile breaches of military bases, vandalism of aircraft, and damaging machinery at manufacturing sites.

The RAF Brize Norton Breach was targeted by protesters turned into activists in June 2025[2].

In a major security breach, activists broke into Britain’s largest air force base in Oxfordshire. They used electric scooters to navigate the tarmac and sprayed red paint into the engines of two RAF Voyager aircraft, damaging them. Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the incident as “disgraceful vandalism”[3].

Chaos Outside UK MoD: On April 10, 2026, protesters swarmed senior military personnel outside the Ministry of Defence.

A protester breached the airside perimeter at Shannon Airport in Ireland, climbed onto the wing of a parked US Air Force C-130 Hercules and damaged the fuselage with what is believed to be a hammer, taking the aircraft out of service. Protest group Palestine Action Éire claimed responsibility in a statement. Shannon Airport was briefly closed. The man was arrested by Gardaí and the Armed Support Unit. The State response to protesters have been weak to deter the continuity of such activities. A robust and a swift response is needed.

Other incidents included the targeting of Elbit Systems & Subsidiaries. Palestine Action has consistently targeted sites linked to Israeli weapons company Elbit Systems. This includes raiding and damaging facilities in Kent, Bristol, and Oldham[4].

Newcastle Arms Factory was damaged in February 2025. Activists targeted the Pearson Engineering factory in Newcastle, covering the sign in red paint and damaging the site, which was later highlighted in court as a deliberate attempt to halt production.

The Police outside MOD UK was overwhelmed by the protesters. UK will need to address such activism against British military personnel and officials. Responding, Maj (ret) Andrew Fox, Senior Associate Fellow at the Henry Jackson Society, said: “This crosses a serious line. Swarming and surrounding senior service personnel as they carry out their duties is not legitimate protest – it is intimidation of those serving the country. Our armed forces should be able to go about their work without fear of harassment or being targeted in this way. “There is also a clear security risk. Filming and circulating footage of military personnel is not harmless – it can expose identities, routines, and potentially put both them and their families at risk. “People have every right to protest. But grievances about government policy should be directed through democratic channels and at elected decision makers – not at service personnel who don’t set that policy.”

Additional Footage From Outside The Ministry of Defence: Armed police are guarding the entrance, preventing the protesters from raiding the MoD.

In July 2025, pro-Palestinian activists targeted the Leonardo UK facility on Crewe Road North, Edinburgh, over its alleged role in supplying laser targeting systems and F-35 fighter jet components to Israel. The actions, led by activists including those affiliated with Shut Down Leonardo, involved blockades, graffiti, and a van being driven into the factory fence. Police Scotland’s Counter Terrorism Unit investigated the attack, arresting three women under the Terrorism Act 2000, highlighting growing tension over UK arms exports to Israel.

The RAF Lakenheath Airbase Blockade just a few days ago in April 2026 had its operations disrupted. Protesters blocked the entrance to the US airbase RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, resulting in multiple arrests, in protest over the use of UK bases for US strikes in the Middle East.

“People have every right to protest. But grievances about government policy should be directed through democratic channels and at elected decision makers – not at service personnel who don’t set that policy.”

The British Response

The Ministry of Defence launched an investigation and a wider security review of UK military bases following the RAF Brize Norton incident.

The UK government has taken steps to proscribe Palestine Action under the Terrorism Act 2000 following the surge in attacks, though legal challenges against this have occurred. Several activists have been arrested and prosecuted, with courts hearing cases regarding significant property damage and violent disorder during these protest actions.

The UK government has condemned the attacks, with officials describing them as “politically motivated criminality” rather than lawful protest, highlighting the risks to national security.

Conclusion

The UK must urgently address this pattern of misdirected activism. Allowing crowds to overwhelm security at the very heart of defence decision-making sends a dangerous signal that serving personnel are fair game, while elected officials remain insulated. Stronger policing presence at sensitive sites, clearer legal boundaries on harassment versus protest, and a firm public stance that the armed forces are not legitimate proxies for political anger are long overdue. Without these steps, Britain risks normalising the harassment of its defenders, weakening both operational effectiveness and the public’s confidence in the state’s ability to protect those who protect the nation.

…

Rohan Gunaratna is editor of the “Handbook of Terrorism in the Middle East”. At the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, he teaches intelligence and national security, and homeland security, counter terrorism and intelligence. He trains military forces, law enforcement authorities and national security agencies.

[1] Protesters climb on top of arms factory gatehouse, https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy7x68jrdmlo

[2] Pro-Palestine protesters break into RAF base on scooters and deface two aircraft, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/20/pro-palestine-protesters-deface-two-aircraft-raf-brize-norton

[3] Pro-Palestinian activists break into UK military base, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/6/20/pro-palestinian-activists-break-into-uk-military-base

[4] Israeli arms manufacturer closes UK facility targeted by Palestine Action, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/06/israeli-arms-manufacturer-elbit-systems-closes-uk-facility-targeted-by-palestine-action