Irish novelist Sally Rooney says her books can no longer be sold in the UK because of her support for Palestine Action, warning that fulfilling her British publishing contracts could now constitute a “criminal offense.”
The bestselling author of Normal People and Conversations with Friends made the remarks in a statement provided to The Guardian on Wednesday, saying her support for the pro-Palestinian activist group means her books can no longer be sold in the UK and she can no longer receive royalties from British sales.
She said she had made every effort to be transparent about her beliefs and intentions and was prepared to accept the consequences.
Rooney has previously said she would donate her earnings to Palestine Action.
The pro-Palestine group that carries out direct action against Israeli weapons factories in the UK and their supply chains was proscribed as a “terrorist organization” in July 2025.
The following month, Rooney published an opinion piece declaring her intention to continue supporting the group, which remains legal in the Republic of Ireland.
In a witness statement submitted to the High Court in London, Rooney warned that the group’s proscription could undermine freedom of expression, force her existing books off British shelves and prevent her future works from being published in the UK.
Her publisher, Faber, has consequently decided to stop supplying her books in the country, a decision Rooney fully supports.
In a separate statement, Faber said UK legislation had created circumstances in which it could no longer pass on to Rooney the earnings generated by British sales of her books.
Rooney also canceled a planned trip to the UK to receive an award, fearing she could be arrested over her declared support for Palestine Action.
Rooney’s books have enjoyed major commercial success in the UK, with Normal People selling more than one million copies, while Conversations with Friends and Beautiful World, Where Are You have each sold more than 500,000 copies.
The BBC adaptation of Normal People attracted 62.7 million views, becoming the broadcaster's most-streamed series of 2020.
Under the UK government’s ban on Palestine Action, both membership in the group and expressing support for it are “criminal offenses.”
Wearing clothing or displaying items in circumstances that indicate support for the organization can also lead to prosecution.
Last year, Palestine Action co-founder Huda Ammori challenged the ban. The High Court ruled in her favor in February, but the Court of Appeal overturned that decision in June. The Supreme Court is due to hear an appeal next month.
More than 3,700 people have been arrested since the ban came into force, many for holding signs in support of the group. About 2,500 people have been charged, although none have gone to trial, as the legal challenge to the ban continues.
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