Will it be illegal to watch controversial film as UK government contemplates terrorism ban

A documentary focused on the group Palestine Action has raised fears online that it may be illegal to watch due to the potential upcoming proscription of the organisation.

Palestine Action have today announced that they have been granted an urgent hearing, taking place this Friday, to try and block upcoming attempts by the government to proscribe them as a terrorist organisation.

The UK government moved to ban the group and make membership of it illegal after they broke into an RAF air base and vandalised two Royal Air Force planes, spraying paint into their engines.

A documentary about the group, To Kill a War Machine, accelerated its release due to fears that they would be charged under anti-terror laws.

Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, announced earlier this week she would be planning to proscribe the group, with a draft order set to be laid before parliament today.

What is the Palestine Action documentary about?

To Kill a War Machine follows actions taken by Palestine Action to sabotage weapons factories in the UK, particularly focusing on defence contract Elbit systems.

The documentary was made independently of Palestine Action, who aim to disrupt the arms industry in the UK due to links with Israel.

Both a United Nations Special Committee and Amnesty International have claimed that Israel is committing a genocide in Gaza, with over 58,000 people have been killed in Palestine since the most recent outbreak of conflict.

To Kill a War Machine includes body cam footage of Palestine Actions raids on weapons factories and interviews two activists from the group, Sohail Sultan and Joe Irving. Both were charged with causing criminal damage but have been acquitted.

Why are groups worried that To Kill a War Machine won’t be legal to watch and will it be illegal to stream?

Body cam footage included in the doc shows Palestine Action activists committing criminal damages (Rainbow Collective)

Directors of the film Hannan Majid and Richard York have expressed concerns that they may not be able to air the film.

The pair told The Guardian: “We set out to make this film in a completely legitimate and legal manner, as we have done with other films.

“It’s been certified by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) and it is good to go but now we are being advised that the curtailing of Palestine Action could have a major knock-on effect for us as it could become not only illegal for others to voice support for them but also for us, as film-makers, to distribute this film.”

The UK Government have been outspoken in their criticism of Palestine Action, with Keir Starmer posting to X: “The act of vandalism committed at RAF Brize Norton is disgraceful.”

The government has claimed that the damages done to RAF planes will cost millions of pounds to repair.

Starmer and the UK government have also been urged not to proscribe the organisation by 100s of cultural groups worldwide, including Amnesty International.

Protests in support of Palestine Action have been held across the UK after news of the group's proscription (HENRY NICHOLLS via Getty Images)

Novara Media published a half hour video about the Palestine Action documentary titled This Documentary Could Be Illegal to Watch Next Week. The documentary, however, will not be illegal to watch regardless of whether or not the group are proscribed in the coming weeks.

Sources have confirmed to LADbible that viewing of the documentary will not be illegal if Palestine Action are proscribed. This is due to the fact that To Kill a War Machine was produced prior to any moves taken by the government to proscribe the group.

Despite this, fears remain that public screenings of the documentary may be seen as support for the group and may then prohibit its distribution.

LADbible have contacted the UK Home Office for comment.