Sally Rooney's Publisher Pulls Books from UK Market Over Support for Banned Group

Sally Rooney's publisher has announced that her books will no longer be sold in the United Kingdom due to the author's support for Palestine Action, a pro-Palestinian group that the U.K. government banned in July 2025. Faber, Rooney's publisher, stated that current legislation makes it impossible to pass on earnings from U.K. sales to the author, deeming the situation "unconscionable."

The U.K. government designated Palestine Action a terrorist organization, marking the first time such a ban was based primarily on property damage and disruption rather than direct threats or use of violence against individuals. The group describes itself as a direct action movement committed to ending global participation in what it calls Israel's "genocidal and apartheid regime." Since its founding in 2020, Palestine Action has targeted facilities linked to Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems, claiming these facilities supply the Israeli military, a claim Elbit Systems U.K. has denied. In June 2025, members of the group spray-painted two aircraft at RAF Brize Norton, the U.K.'s largest air force base.

Rooney has publicly supported Palestine Action, calling the British proscription "a truly extreme assault on ordinary rights and freedoms." In an August 2025 op-ed in the Irish Times, she declared her intention to use proceeds from her work and her public platform to support the group's activities. She stated, "To ensure that the British public is made aware of my position, I would happily publish this statement in a U.K. newspaper—but that would now be illegal."

The ban on Palestine Action has faced legal challenges. In February, the High Court ruled the ban unlawful and disproportionate, but this decision was overturned by the Court of Appeal in June. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a further appeal next month. Despite these legal battles, the ban remains in effect.

Providing financial support to groups proscribed under the U.K.'s Terrorism Act is a criminal offense. Rooney's publisher explained that fulfilling contracts for her work in the U.K. could now constitute a serious criminal offense, leading to the decision to cease sales. Huda Ammori, co-founder of Palestine Action, stated that Rooney's situation represents "a new low in the escalating assault on free speech caused by the proscription of Palestine Action."

British Member of Parliament Ian Byrne criticized the government's decision, warning of "draconian consequences" and calling the situation an "utterly disgraceful attack on freedom of expression." Rooney has reaffirmed her commitment to supporting Palestine Action, noting that it is not a banned group in the Republic of Ireland, and expressed her readiness to accept the consequences of her stance.