Irish writer Sally Rooney, known for her bestselling novels Normal People and Conversations With Friends, has announced that she can no longer sell her books in the UK due to her support for the banned organization Palestine Action. This decision comes after Rooney publicly declared her intention to support the group, which was proscribed as a terrorist organization in July 2025.

Background

Rooney's support for Palestine Action has significant legal implications. Following the ban, she stated that she would use proceeds from her book sales to support the organization. However, under the Terrorism Act, supporting a banned organization is a criminal offense, leading her to cancel a planned trip to the UK to accept an award due to fears of arrest.

In a statement to the Guardian, Rooney explained:

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"In July 2025, the direct-action protest group Palestine Action was proscribed as a terrorist organisation in the UK. The following month, I wrote an opinion piece expressing my intention to go on supporting Palestine Action, which is not a proscribed or otherwise prohibited group here in the Republic of Ireland."

She continued, stating that fulfilling her publishing contracts in the UK could now constitute a serious criminal offense. Consequently, her publisher, Faber, has decided it can no longer supply her works within the UK.