Sally Rooney Books Withdrawn in U.K. Over Support for Banned Group

British booksellers are grappling with legal and ethical questions after Irish novelist Sally Rooney's books were withdrawn from sale in the U.K. due to her financial support for the proscribed group Palestine Action. Rooney's U.K. publisher, Faber, announced it could no longer distribute her works, including bestsellers like "Normal People" and "Conversations with Friends," as doing so could violate the U.K.'s terrorism legislation.

The decision by Faber, made with Rooney's agreement, comes after the U.K. government designated Palestine Action a terrorist organization in July 2025. This designation makes membership in or support for the group a criminal offense, punishable by up to 14 years in prison. Rooney stated she was prepared to accept the consequences of her actions, explaining she would use proceeds from her books and their television adaptations to support the group.

Palestine Action, founded in 2020, advocates for an end to U.K. military support for Israel, accusing Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians, a claim Israel denies. The group has engaged in direct-action protests, including damaging equipment at an Israeli weapons manufacturer's factory and spray-painting tanker planes at a Royal Air Force base. While the group maintains it does not advocate violence against people, a police officer sustained a fractured spine during one of its actions.

The British government asserts that Palestine Action has engaged in acts of terrorism and promoted violence. However, civil liberties advocates argue the ban infringes on rights to protest and free speech. Thousands have been arrested and charged under the Terrorism Act for testing the law, though no convictions have yet occurred.

The U.K. High Court initially ruled in February that classifying Palestine Action as a terror group was disproportionate, but the Court of Appeal overturned this decision in June, deeming the ban justified. The group's legal challenge is set to continue at the U.K. Supreme Court next month.

Faber's announcement led to confusion among U.K. booksellers regarding the sale of existing stock. The Booksellers Association confirmed that while new orders could not be fulfilled, shops could continue selling inventory on hand. Some retailers attempted to increase their stock but found distributors had already depleted their supplies.

Rooney, an internationally acclaimed author whose novels have sold millions of copies and have been adapted for television, has been a prominent supporter of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israeli businesses, universities, and cultural institutions. This movement is viewed by Israel as an attack on its legitimacy.

The situation has ignited a broader debate in the U.K. concerning the balance between national security, free speech, and the right to protest, particularly in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The U.K. government has recently taken steps such as formally recognizing a Palestinian state and banning goods from Israeli settlements, but has not lifted the ban on Palestine Action.