Member

In these cases, the evidence has meant that, as far as the Government are concerned, all three organisations before us have passed the evidential test, for which the Act sets out the framework and on which the organisations that have assessed that framework have brought forward information. The Home Secretary and my honourable friend have agreed with that judgment and brought this order forward today. Again, this is not because of their view on Palestine, Israel or the right to protest; it is on their view on the evidence presented to them about the criminal damage, the harassment, the injury to individuals and the proven convictions already—without reference, as the noble Lord, Lord Harper, said, to the current case before the courts, about which I make no comment, because it will be determined by the courts in due course. The evidence to date has been that we must take action to protect the public from all three organisations—neo-Nazi and right-wing Russian extremists in two cases and Palestine Action, taking its effort of being, by its own admission, a non-peaceful organisation that approves of violent means.