Authors and Actors Sign Letter Opposing Sally Rooney Book Ban
A group of artists, writers, and actors protest the UK ban on Sally Rooney’s books.
Key facts
- The UK government designated Palestine Action as a terrorist organization in 2025, according to ARTnews.
- Faber & Faber withdrew Rooney’s books from UK shelves after the designation, according to ARTnews and Rolling Stone.
- The open letter, published in the New Statesman, was signed by Paul Mescal, Daisy Edgar‑Jones, Zadie Smith, and others, according to ARTnews and Rolling Stone.
- Rooney said her publisher agreed to stop supplying her work in the UK to avoid criminal liability, according to ARTnews and Rolling Stone.
- The letter claims the ban violates free speech and calls for legislative change, according to ARTnews and Rolling Stone.
The UK government proscribed the direct‑action group Palestine Action as a terrorist organization in 2025, according to ARTnews. The designation made support for the group a criminal offense under the Terrorism Act, according to Rolling Stone.
Faber & Faber announced it would no longer supply Sally Rooney’s books in the UK after the designation, according to ARTnews. Rooney said the decision was made with her full agreement, according to Rolling Stone.
An open letter appeared in the New Statesman on Wednesday, according to ARTnews. The letter states that Rooney is a writer, not a terrorist, and that the removal of her books is an affront to free speech, according to ARTnews.
Signatories include actors Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar‑Jones, novelist Zadie Smith, film director Jonathan Glazer, and others, according to ARTnews. Rolling Stone notes that the letter also lists more than 150 other signers, including Kneecap and Tilda Swinton.
The letter urges the UK government to amend the legislation that led to the ban, calling the current policy ill‑conceived and draconian, according to ARTnews and Rolling Stone. The letter also references the maximum 14‑year prison sentence for providing money to a proscribed group, according to Rolling Stone.
Context
The ban follows the UK’s designation of Palestine Action as a terrorist organization, which made support for the group a criminal offense. Rooney’s publisher withdrew her books to avoid potential legal liability. The open letter seeks to challenge the ban and protect free speech.
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