Sally Rooney Books Pulled From U.K. Shelves Following Palestine Action Terror Designation
Publisher Faber halts U.K. distribution of Sally Rooney's novels after the author pledged financial support to the banned group Palestine Action.
POLICY WIRE — London, United Kingdom — The literary works of acclaimed Irish novelist Sally Rooney are being pulled from British bookstores. Her publisher, Faber, confirmed that it has ceased supplying her titles to retailers across the U.K. following the author’s vocal support for Palestine Action, a group now classified as a terrorist organization by the British government.
Faber issued a statement explaining that current U.K. legislation prevents the firm from transferring royalties to Rooney for her literary contributions. The publisher noted that it is an unconscionable situation to continue selling an author’s work while being legally barred from providing them with their earnings.
The conflict stems from Rooney’s stated intention to funnel proceeds from her writing into Palestine Action. In an August 2025 piece for The Irish Times, the author of “Normal People” and “Conversations with Friends” declared her commitment to using her platform and financial resources to support the group’s direct action efforts.
Palestine Action, established in 2020, has gained notoriety for targeting defense contractors and arms manufacturers through sabotage and protests. The group characterizes itself as a movement aimed at dismantling global complicity with what it terms Israel’s genocidal apartheid regime.
In July 2025, the British government officially designated the group as a terrorist organization. This move followed a series of escalating incidents, including a 2022 attack on a Teledyne Technologies facility and a breach of the RAF Brize Norton air base, where the group claimed to have caused significant damage to aircraft.
While authorities have not officially verified the total cost of the damage, reports have estimated the destruction at approximately $9.4 million. Under existing British law, providing public support for or maintaining membership in a designated terrorist entity is a criminal offense.
The government’s crackdown on the group has resulted in widespread demonstrations and thousands of arrests. Data from the Home Office indicates a unique demographic trend among those detained, with the average age of individuals arrested for supporting Palestine Action reaching 59, significantly higher than the 28-year-old average for other terrorism-related offenses.
The legal status of the government’s ban is currently being contested in the Supreme Court. Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
