Guidance on Proscribed Organisations
As you can imagine, XRUK is deeply concerned about the Government's proscription last week of a nonviolent direct action group against the genocide in Palestine.
The implications for the right to protest are troubling and we have developed the following policy and guidance. We believe it is the best course of action to keep everyone safe.
We will continue to evaluate the situation as it develops.
Legal Briefing: references to proscribed organisations and to Palestine.
You will all be aware of the recent proscription of a direct action group in the UK. There is a very useful overview of this by CAGE that can be found here.
Under the Terrorism Act 2000 it is an offence to:
- belong, or profess to belong, to a proscribed organisation in the UK or overseas. Section 11 TACT
- express an opinion or belief that is supportive of a proscribed organisation. Section 12(1A) TACT
- arrange, manage or assist in arranging or managing a meeting in the knowledge that the meeting is to support or further the activities of a proscribed organisation, or is to be addressed by a person who belongs or professes to. Section 12(2) TACT
- wear clothing or carry or display articles in public in such a way or in such circumstances as to arouse reasonable suspicion that the individual is a member or supporter of a proscribed organisation. Section 13 TACT
- publish an image of an item of clothing or other article, such as a flag or logo, in the same circumstances. Section 13(1A) TACT
Penalties can be found here
Penalties can range from a fine, to 6 months imprisonment, to up to 14 years in prison for the more serious offences.
Guidance for Local & Community Groups
Please do not get yourself in a situation where you're breaking the Terrorism Act (to reduce risks for yourself, your group and also the wider XR movement).
Please do not post any content in support of a proscribed organisation.
Posting content around the legal challenge via courts of Palestine Action being proscribed, or even mentioning them in a post is tricky and you may want to seek support before posting.
Also it’s advisable to be careful when you post or re-post anything regarding Palestine in general so that you don't accidently break the Terrorism Act.
If you have any concerns about content you’d like to post, then please get in touch with the legal team.
Contact xr-legal@riseup.net.
In an XRUK Working Group?
XRUK has adopted a stricter internal policy, which applies to teams such as UK M&M and others, in order to protect rebels within the movement.
The following guidelines are to apply where anything is to go onto any of XR UK (i.e circles within the Hive) outward-facing channels on the internet, social media or printed/physical media.
Individuals are entitled to do what they like in their own name, however if you are posting on behalf of XRUK it is important to be compliant with the following. Sister groups, community groups, regions, nations or local groups are invited to consider the following, in order to not put XR and fellow Rebels at risk.
- There should be no references whatsoever to any proscribed organisation or any links to any actions in relation to that group.
- If you plan to post about the genocide in Palestine, this is of course lawful but there should be no reference to Palestine Action. If you have any queries or concerns you are welcome to email XR legal on xr-legal@riseup.net
- This applies to all social media and internet posts, website, published and printed media and assets, creation and storage of physical materials as well as any broadcast and messaging channels.
- This also applies to signing open letters in the name of XRUK.
- If, retrospectively, a post is considered to be risky by the Legal team then it must be removed from our social media, internet site, broadcast channels, or printed/physical media.
- If there are any proposed changes to this policy, XRUK Legal must be consulted and involved in the process.
- XRUK funds may not be allocated to any group or individual where there is a credible risk that such funds could be perceived as supporting a proscribed organisation, either directly or indirectly. Relevant funding decisions must follow XRUK Legal guidance and the IBG–Finance Proscribed Groups Policy.
- This advice is in line with Principle and Value 9, which establishes that we avoid exposing fellow rebels to legal Risk without their consent.
Messaging Guidance
Here are some practical tips for how to communicate online about proscribed organisations, so you don’t accidentally put yourself or others at legal risk. This situation is evolving all the time, so this guidance may change over coming weeks.
What does this mean when talking about Palestine?
It is legal and absolutely fine to speak about Palestine. This includes the ongoing genocide, the people affected, the humanitarian crisis, and the struggle for justice. You can post about:
- The fact that a genocide is happening in Gaza, and the broader situation in Palestine.
- Human rights concerns and violations.
- Calls for peace, a ceasefire, or humanitarian aid.
- Criticism of the government, arms companies, or policies.
The Palestinian flag has not been proscribed!
You may find the existing messaging guiance on conflict in relation to the climate and ecological emergency useful.
However, there are important lines not to cross while speaking about Palestine:
- Do not invite or encourage support for any proscribed organisation, whether directly or indirectly.
- Avoid using slogans, symbols, flags, or images that could clearly link your message to a proscribed group - context really matters.
- Avoid calls to action that could be interpreted as fundraising for, endorsing, or promoting a proscribed group’s aims or activities.
- Be mindful that old posts may still be considered problematic by financial service providers. If in doubt, review and clean up. If your local group has a bank account or fiscal host, you should consider what would happen if this was closed.
What can I say about proscription?
You are free to talk about the fact that the government has proscribed a group, but should avoid naming specific groups. It is also fine to raise questions and concerns about the impact of proscription on civil liberties, freedom of speech, and the right to protest.
You can explain how this affects our work, as long as you do not imply support for the aims of the proscribed organisation. It is also acceptable to call for fair treatment of individuals arrested under these new powers — but do not campaign for support for the proscribed organisation itself.
Be careful: campaigning directly against the proscription could be seen as indirect support.
What is the guidance for solidarity?
We must be aware that XRUK is more at risk than other organisations. Exact wording and context matters.
You can:
- General solidarity messaging is possible — but must avoid crossing the line into “inviting support”.
- Stand with individuals, such as arrestees, treated unfairly, so long as you do not link this to explicit support for a proscribed group’s aims.
- Share reputable reporting and analysis from trusted sources (for example, Liberty, Netpol, Amnesty) — but always check the source and context.
You should not:
Ask yourself: Could this be seen as encouraging support? If there’s any doubt, don’t post it.