Rooney, twenty-six, is a writer of rare confidence, with a lucid, exacting style.Photograph by Ruby Wallis for The New York
Irish author Sally Rooney has said she believes she can no longer safely enter the United Kingdom without risking arrest. She made the statement after the UK government designated the activist group Palestine Action as a banned organisation under its terrorism laws.
Rooney missed the Sky Arts Literature Award ceremony in London where she won for her newest novel Intermezzo. Her editor accepted the award on her behalf, reading out a message from Rooney. In that message, she explained that because of her support for non-violent protest and for Palestine Action, she had been advised that entering the UK could expose her to legal danger.
Earlier, Rooney publicly pledged to donate income from her books and from TV fees tied to her adaptations to Palestine Action. The UK government has warned that backing an organisation classified as “proscribed” under the law can be a criminal offence.
In her public statements, Rooney said she supports non-violent anti-war protest, and she insists that her stance is a matter of conscience. She said she will continue her support despite the legal risks, and that she feels solidarity with people affected by war and injustice.
Some observers are concerned about what this means for freedom of expression. Writers, artists and legal experts are asking how far a state can go in limiting what an author supports without threatening core rights. Rooney’s case has raised questions about whether authors can be punished for donations, statements, or their public views, especially when those views are tied to banned organisations.
Rooney lives in Ireland and is not a UK resident. Still, the law in the UK applies to people who support proscribed organisations, regardless of where they live, in some instances. Because of that, she says she has been advised by legal experts not to travel to the UK for now.
The author has a large body of work, including bestsellers like Normal People, Conversations with Friends, and Intermezzo. Her works have been adapted for TV by the BBC. She remains active as a writer and public figure, even as this controversy continues.
