Palestine Action Activists Face Terrorism Charges Over Vandalism at Trump Turnberry Resort

Seven activists associated with Palestine Action are facing potential terrorism-scale sentencing after allegedly vandalizing Donald Trump’s Turnberry golf resort in Ayrshire last year. According to reports from The Guardian and The New York Times, the defendants are charged with malicious damage aggravated by having a terrorist connection, with an initial hearing scheduled at the High Court in Glasgow on Monday, August 31.

The charges stem from a March 8, 2025 protest where the activists sprayed red paint across the clubhouse, damaged turf and sprinklers, applied weedkiller to the greens, and painted the message “Gaza is not 4 sale” on the property in opposition to Donald Trump’s stance on Gaza. While the initial charges fell under ordinary criminal law for property damage, the prosecution's indictment asserts a terrorist connection following the UK government's proscription of Palestine Action as a terrorist group last year.

Palestine Action cofounder Huda Ammori criticized the charges, stating that prosecutors were attempting to appease Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu. The legal fallout follows recent moves by the United States to impose sanctions on Palestine Action and Masar Badil, as well as financial penalties against Autistici Inventati.

British lawmaker John McDonnell also condemned the potential terrorist sentencing linkage, warning that the prosecution and ban on Palestine Action risk setting a dangerous precedent for criminalizing political dissent and protest.