Dozens of prominent writers, actors, musicians and activists have rallied behind Irish novelist Sally Rooney after her books were withdrawn from sale in Britain over her support for the banned pro-Palestinian group Palestine Action.
The open letter, titled "Sally Rooney is a writer, not a terrorist", was published on the front page of British political magazine New Statesman, condemning the withdrawal of her books as an attack on freedom of expression.
Among the signatories include acclaimed authors Zadie Smith, Ahdaf Soueif, Arundhati Roy and Nobel Prize-winning writer Annie Ernaux, alongside actors Paul Mescal, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Tilda Swinton and Susan Sarandon.
The intervention comes amid growing controversy over Britain's decision to proscribe Palestine Action under anti-terrorism legislation, a move that has sparked concerns about the criminalisation of pro-Palestinian activism and the wider implications for civil liberties.
Rooney, one of the most prominent novelists of her generation, has been an outspoken supporter of Palestinian rights and has refused to distance herself from Palestine Action despite the legal and commercial consequences.
The group, known for direct-action protests targeting companies linked to Israel's military, was proscribed by the British government as a terrorist organisation. The designation remains the subject of legal challenges.
Last year, Rooney pledged to donate proceeds from her books and their television adaptations to Palestine Action, turning her literary success into a source of financial support for the pro-Palestinian movement.
However, her position has placed her at the centre of a growing dispute over whether Britain's anti-terrorism laws are being used to restrict political expression and solidarity with Palestinians.
In November 2025, Rooney revealed that Element Pictures, the Irish production company behind the television adaptation of her bestselling novel Normal People, had warned that paying her royalties could breach British law if she intended to donate the money to Palestine Action.
Her publisher, Faber, subsequently announced that it would no longer supply her books, prompting widespread criticism from fellow writers and public figures.
But the controversy appears to have fuelled renewed interest in Rooney's work.
On Wednesday, The Guardian reported that sales of her books had surged by nearly 300% in the week following Faber's announcement.
Rooney's Normal People has sold more than one million copies in Britain alone, while its television adaptation helped establish her as one of the country's most widely read contemporary authors.
'Sally Rooney is a writer, not a terrorist'
The open letter denounces the withdrawal of Rooney's books and urges the British government to change the legislation that has led to their removal from sale.
"Sally Rooney is a writer, not a terrorist. Her books must be available to the public," the signatories declare.
They describe the withdrawal of her books as "an affront to basic principles of free speech and expression so long taken for granted in this country".
"We categorically reject censorship – whether direct or indirect – and urge the government to change course, amending the legislation which has led us to this point of repressive absurdity."
The letter brings together some of the most recognisable figures in British and international culture, including Oscar winners Jessie Buckley and Jonathan Glazer, filmmaker Asif Kapadia, Irish musician CMAT and former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Mescal and Edgar-Jones, who starred in the acclaimed television adaptation of Normal People, also added their names, publicly standing alongside the author whose work helped propel them to international fame.
Other signatories include British football presenter Gary Lineker, Massive Attack musician Robert Del Naja, Irish rap group Kneecap, author Omar El Akkad and Palestinian-British writer and activist Ahdaf Soueif.
Their collective intervention has placed renewed attention on the consequences of Britain's Palestine Action ban, particularly its impact on artists, writers and public figures who openly support Palestinian rights.