Terry Newman: Government mum on Palestine Action claiming responsibility for attacks on four warehouses in Canada

The global anti-Israel group Palestine Action has been listed as a terrorist group in the U.K and the U.S. for attempting to coerce governments by attacking businesses and defence infrastructure and for promoting violent terrorist acts. Since April, its Canadian branch has claimed responsibility for attacking four warehouses here. What is the federal government waiting for?

Palestine Action Canada is an affiliate of its U.K. branch, which was founded in 2020. Its stated goal is “ending global participation in Israel’s genocidal and apartheid regime.” The group currently operates in at least 10 countries. Its tactics include vandalism, obstruction, sabotage and violent assault.

In August 2024, members of Palestine Action’s U.K. chapter used a van as a battering ram to break into a site owned by Elbit Systems, an Israeli defence contractor, in Bristol, England. While inside, they destroyed computers and equipment with hammers and crowbars. When security and police arrived, Samuel Corner, a 23-year-old member of Palestine Action, came up behind Sgt. Kate Evans and brought his sledgehammer down on her spine — twice. The attack was captured on another officer’s body camera. Evans’ spine was fractured.

At trial, co-defendant Zoe Rogers told the jury that participating in the raid was the “best thing I’ve ever done.” The judge that presided over the case said two of the protesters live-streamed the raid in order to “glorify criminality and vigilantism.” Their goal, according to the court, was to influence the government.

On June 23, 2025, then-U.K. home secretary Yvette Cooper stated in Parliament that she would be proscribing Palestine Action as a terrorist group, pointing out that the severity and frequency of the group’s activities had increased, its methods had become more aggressive and it had expanded its targets from the defence industry to charities, financial firms, government buildings and universities.

She noted that Palestine Action used its online presence to “raise considerable funds” and to “galvanize support, recruit and train members across the U.K. to take part in criminal activity.” At the time of proscription, the group had “a footprint in all 45 policing regions in the U.K.” and had “pledged to escalate its campaign.”

She describes an “Underground Manual” the group released in 2023, which she says encouraged its adherents to create cells, guided them in their activities “against private companies and government buildings on behalf of Palestine Action” and included a link to a website with “a map of specific targets across the U.K.”

According to Cooper, Palestine Action had “orchestrated a nationwide campaign of direct criminal action against businesses and institutions, including key national infrastructure and defence firms that provide services and supplies to support Ukraine, NATO, Five Eyes allies and the U.K. defence enterprise.” In 2022, it attacked the Thales defence factory in Glasgow causing “over a million pounds worth of damage,” including to essential submarine parts. Three days prior to its proscription, its members targeted Brize Norton, a Royal Air Force base.

Cooper also noted that the group had claimed responsibility for an attack on a Jewish-owned business in north London the month prior, pointing out that this incident was neither a legitimate nor peaceful form of protest.

Earlier this year, the United States government also listed Palestine Action as a terrorist group.

The Canadian chapter of Palestine Action has been around at least since June 2024, when its X account was created.

In February, March and May it posted information about training webinars, encouraging prospective new members to tune in so they can “learn how to shut down the zionist war machine,” on its Instagram account.

The May post featured an image of someone scrolling through a phone looking at a sledgehammer — like the one that came down on Sgt. Evan’s spine. The text on the image read, “Tired of doomscrolling? Take direct action instead!” Workshops available!” — as if they were casually encouraging viewers to sign up for summer camp.

On April 14, the group bragged about a targeted attack it carried out that morning on Héroux-Devtek, an aerospace company in Longueuil, Que.

A video posted on June 21 showed numerous buildings being vandalized in several different countries, while the accompanying text bragged, “There is no word coming out of the mouths of British judges that can stop the global momentum of escalation for a free Palestine.”

The attacks on Canadian warehouses didn’t stop in April with Héroux-Devtek. On July 12, the group allegedly targeted Dishon Limited in Vaughn, Ont. On July 28, it reportedly targeted DSV logistics in Ville Saint-Laurent, Que. And during Monday’s early hours, it says it targeted GeoSpectrum Technologies in Peterborough, Ont. The group uploaded a video, which appears to show an individual cutting wires while an Arabic song plays.

One has to wonder what local police in both provinces, the RCMP, CSIS and FINTRAC are doing about this.

Individuals and groups have called on the federal government to designate Palestine Action as a terrorist organization. Jewish groups have called on Ottawa to follow the lead of the U.K. and the U.S. as early as May, drawing attention to its target map, which includes sites across Canada, and on July 16, former MP Kevin Vuong initiated a public safety petition — without any success.

I reached out to Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree and the Prime Minister’s Office to ask if they were aware of the four targeted warehouses and to find out why Canada hasn’t followed the U.K. and the U.S. in designating Palestine Action as a terrorist group. I received a boilerplate response from Anandasangaree’s office and nothing from the PMO by press time.

National Post