Sally Rooney’s stand on Palestine is brave and humane

Sally Rooney's support for Palestine Action sparks controversy in the UK.

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Sally Rooney, an Irish author, can no longer sell her books in the UK due to her support for the activist group Palestine Action, according to her publisher Faber. The UK government banned Palestine Action as a "terrorist" organisation in July 2025. Rooney has expressed her support for the group, which is not banned in Ireland, where she lives.

The Normal People author has chosen to support Palestine Action despite the potential consequences, including lost sales and opportunities in the UK. Rooney has pledged to use her royalties to support the group, which has been met with criticism from some quarters.

Rooney's decision to support Palestine Action has been praised by some as a brave and humane act. The author has a reputation for delicately challenging social norms through her writing, and her support for the Palestinian cause is seen as a natural extension of her work.

The UK government's decision to ban Palestine Action has been widely criticized, with some arguing that it is an overreach of terrorism laws. The ban has led to a significant increase in terrorism arrests in the UK, with 3,000 arrests in 2025 compared to 250 in 2024.

The issue has sparked a wider debate about the relationship between Ireland and the Palestinian cause, with many in Ireland expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people. The Dunnes Stores strike of 1984, in which 21-year-old Mary Manning refused to handle South African grapefruit, is cited as an example of Ireland's long history of activism on social justice issues.