Irish author Sally Rooney has acknowledged that her books may no longer be sold in the United Kingdom following her support for the pro-Palestine group Palestine Action, which the British government classified as a terrorist organization in July.
“It is almost certain that I will not be able to publish or produce any new work in the UK while this ban is in effect. […] If Palestine Action is still banned when my next book is ready to be published, that book will be available to readers globally and in dozens of languages but not to readers in the UK, simply because no one will be allowed to publish it (unless I choose to distribute it for free),” stated the author of “Normal People” on the second day of the judicial appeal against the group’s ban in the British Supreme Court.
Previously, Rooney expressed her intent to use her work’s proceeds and her notability “to continue supporting Palestine Action and direct action against genocide in every way” she could, in an opinion piece published by the Irish Times in August. The author also canceled a trip to the UK, where she was set to receive an award, fearing she might be detained.
Rooney highlighted that legal uncertainties made it difficult to foresee how her support for Palestine Action might affect the availability of her books but noted that her publisher, Faber & Faber, might be legally prohibited from paying her the royalties due.
“If Faber & Faber Limited is legally forbidden from paying me the royalties I’m owed, my existing works may have to be withdrawn from circulation and therefore be unavailable to readers in the UK,” she said.
She added: “My novels have been influential and popular in Britain, where I am among the bestselling literary authors of the past decade. The removal of my work from bookstores would represent an extreme state intrusion into the realm of artistic expression.”
The writer of “Intermezzo” also indicated she would remain “a dedicated supporter of Palestine Action” and noted that “if such support is criminalized, [she will] be effectively barred from speaking at any public events in the UK.” Additionally, her collaboration with British public institutions, including the BBC, which adapted “Normal People” and “Conversations with Friends,” could be at stake.
The appeal trial is expected to continue until Tuesday.
Irish author Sally Rooney expressed on Saturday her support for a proscribed Palestine solidarity organization, prompting the British government to warn today that supporting banned entities constitutes a crime.
Lusa | 19:20 – 18/08/2025
