'Sally Rooney' the name in the news, but what did she do

Sally Rooney’s books have been banned in the UK. This silencing of a respected literary voice is only the beginning of a wider UK debate about morals and whether political beliefs can strip someone of their sense of agency. 

It came to the surface in July 2025 after Rooney failed to attend an awards ceremony for her novel ‘Intermezzo’. Rooney revealed that she did not feel safe attending, for fear of arrest. Rooney later said that she was donating the proceeds of her four novels, ‘Normal People’, ’Conversations with Friends', ‘Beautiful World Where Are You’ and ‘Intermezzo’ to support Palestine Action. Palestine Action is an action-based group that aims to end the complicity the British government has with Israel. 

According to an article in The Times, the group describes itself as a “direct action movement committed to ending global participation in Israel’s genocidal and apartheid regime.” In June 2025, members of Palestine Action broke into an RAF base in Oxfordshire and two military planes red, after this Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, labelled them a terrorist group. Following this, on June 30th, it was officially made illegal to be a part of, or show support for, Palestine Action, punishable by up to 14 years in prison. The Explanatory Memorandum To The Terrorism Act 2000 Order 2025 states that, ‘Palestine Action prepares for terrorism. The organisation has provided practical advice to assist its members with conducting attacks that have resulted in serious damage to property at targets across the UK to further its cause.’ An article in The Guardian revealed that since the law was finalised last year, more than 3,700 people have been arrested for suspected support of Palestine Action. 

The leader of Palestine Action, Huda Ammori, has come out in support of Rooney, saying, “Sally Rooney being unable to publish her work in the UK marks a new low in the escalating assault on free speech caused by the proscription of Palestine Action.”

Faber, Rooney’s publisher for the UK and Ireland, has agreed with her that it is best not to sell her books. The media has raised many questions about reactions to free speech in today's society. Owners of bookshops, celebrities and publishers have all agreed that Rooney’s consequences are ‘unjustified and are a harsh sign that the law needs to be amended as soon as possible.’