Sally Rooney did not travel to the United Kingdom to collect a Sky Arts prize this week, saying she could be arrested if she entered the country because of her support for Palestine Action. The Irish novelist, whose novel Intermezzo earned the award, was represented at the ceremony by her publisher, Alex Bowler, as Rooney was unable to attend in person.
Rooney’s statement, read aloud at the ceremony, said she could not safely enter the UK without potentially facing arrest. It also conveyed that she wished she could be there to accept the honor in person and reiterated her belief in non-violent anti-war protest, the dignity and beauty of all human life, and her solidarity with the people of Palestine. Rooney has emphasized that her financial support for the group is part of a broader stance against war, not endorsement of violence.
Palestine Action, which has targeted arms companies since the Gaza war escalated in 2023, was proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the UK government in July. Activists associated with the group have drawn attention to alleged arms deliveries and security concerns at facilities linked to military hardware. Rooney’s donations to the group have been publicly noted by her supporters and covered in reporting surrounding the prize.
In August, Rooney said she was using proceeds from her four books and income from BBC TV adaptations of Normal People and Conversations with Friends to support Palestine Action. She is not currently working with the BBC on any upcoming projects and has never been a member of staff there.
Last weekend, Metropolitan Police said 890 people were arrested at a demonstration in London protesting the ban on Palestine Action. In comments tied to the broader debate over the group, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said that supporting Palestine Action and supporting a proscribed terrorist organisation were not the same thing, and she backed officers who had arrested those aligned with the group.
Rooney’s decision to forego the ceremony underscores ongoing questions about the boundaries between charitable or political fundraising and affiliation with groups designated as extremist by authorities. The Sky Arts prize for Intermezzo will be presented in Rooney’s absence, with the organization noting the award remains in place despite the author’s inability to attend in person.