Sally Rooney will no longer publish in the UK over support for Palestine Action

Million-selling Irish writer Sally Rooney has said she was forced to withdraw her books from sale in the UK because of her support for the banned organization Palestine Action. The Guardian explains it.

Rooney has written novels that are highly appreciated around the world, especially among younger generations, including "Normal People" and "Talking About It With Friends." Since the beginning of the war in the Middle East, she had supported the Palestinian cause and, when the organization "Palestine Action" was banned in the United Kingdom, the writer declared that she would use the profits from the sales of her books to support the organization. Rooney had then canceled a trip to the country to collect an award due to fear of being arrested: in the United Kingdom, in fact, supporting organizations deemed terrorist is a crime.

In a statement provided to The Guardian, she said: "In July 2025, the protest and direct action group Palestine Action was classified as a terrorist organization in the UK. The following month I wrote an opinion piece in which I expressed my intention to continue to support Palestine Action, which here in the Republic of Ireland is not a banned or otherwise prohibited organisation. As a result, the enforcement of contracts for the publication of my works in the UK may now constitute a serious criminal offence. After a consultation process and reflection, and with my full consent, my publisher Faber has therefore determined that they can no longer distribute my works in the UK. I have done everything I can to be honest with the public about my beliefs and intentions and I am fully prepared to accept the consequences."

In a statement submitted to the High Court in support of his legal challenge to the organisation's ban, in which he warned of the consequences of the move on freedom of expression, Rooney said that his books could disappear from British bookshops and that the publication of new works in the UK could be prevented.

As reported by the British newspaper, Rooney's publisher in the UK and Ireland, Faber, said: "Current UK legislation has created a situation where Faber cannot pay Sally Rooney the proceeds from sales of her works in the UK. Selling a writer's works without being able to pay her the relevant earnings is an unacceptable situation for a publisher. For this reason, and in full agreement with Sally, we have decided that we can no longer distribute her works in the UK, in any format. We remain proud to be the publishers of his extraordinary literary production, which we will continue to sell in other territories."

According to data reported by The Guardian, over 3,700 people have been arrested in the UK for allegedly supporting "Palestine Action" since the organization was banned. Around 2,500 people have been formally charged, although none have yet been tried. In fact, a legal challenge to the ban is still ongoing, which will be heard by the Supreme Court next month. Most of the arrests and charges relate to Article 13 of the Terrorism Law, which carries a maximum penalty of six months in prison.