Full Breakdown
Sally Rooney’s UK Book Withdrawal Amid Terrorism-Law Dispute
By Drooid · · How we work
The Decision to Pull the Books
On October 14, 2026, Irish novelist Sally Rooney and publisher Faber announced that Faber would stop supplying Rooney’s titles in the United Kingdom. Under the Terrorism Act 2000 the publisher could not pass UK royalties to Rooney because she pledged to donate them to Palestine Action, proscribed as a terrorist organization in July 2025. Existing stock may remain, but no new copies will be distributed.
Background & Context
Palestine Action, founded in the UK in 2020, conducts direct-action protests against companies it says supply weapons to Israel. In June 2025 the group spray-painted aircraft at RAF Brize Norton, leading the Home Office to proscribe it under the Terrorism Act 2000 in July 2025. Membership, support, or funding now carries up to 14 years’ imprisonment.
In August 2025 Rooney wrote an op-ed in the *Irish Times* saying she would use royalties from her books and TV adaptations to support Palestine Action, adding she would accept the label of “supporter of terror” if UK law applied.
Timeline
- July 5 2025 – Proscription of Palestine Action takes effect.
- August 2025 – Rooney pledges to donate UK royalties.
- October 14 2026 – Faber and Rooney announce cessation of UK sales.
- July 30 2026 – Supreme Court grants co-founder Huda Ammori permission to appeal the proscription.
- November 4 2026 – Supreme Court hearing scheduled.
- November 5 2026 (scheduled) – Approximately 2,500 pending charges to be frozen pending judgment.
Data & Statistics
- Normal People has sold over 1 million copies in the UK; Conversations with Friends and Beautiful World, Where Are You each exceed 500,000.
- Total UK sales of Rooney’s catalogue top 2.3 million copies.
- Since the July 2025 proscription, more than 3,700 people have been arrested for publicly supporting Palestine Action, with around 2,500 formally charged under the Terrorism Act.
- Terror-related arrests rose from 234 the year before the ban to over 3,600 after it.
Official Statements & Responses
Faber said “current legislation in the UK has led to circumstances where Faber cannot pass on UK earnings to Sally Rooney for her work” and called the situation “unconscionable”. A Home Office spokesperson said the proscription was based on “evidence of serious property damage” and applies equally to all supporters.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on arrest numbers: some cite “more than 3,700,” others “over 3,000” or “3,630.” Charged figures range from “around 2,500” to “more than 2,250,” leaving the exact scale unclear.
What’s Next
The Supreme Court will hear the challenge to Palestine Action’s proscription on November 4 2026. Its ruling will decide whether the ban stays in force and whether publishers can resume selling Rooney’s books in the UK without risking criminal liability. Pending that decision, about 2,500 pending charges are slated to be frozen on November 5 2026.