Sally Rooney could have made things a great deal easier for herself. She chose not to

Sally Rooney’s novels are no longer distributed in the United Kingdom following a joint decision with her publisher, Faber, to halt sales due to legal risks associated with her public support for Palestine Action. The Irish author stated on Wednesday that fulfilling publishing contracts in the UK could now constitute a serious criminal offense under British terrorism legislation. Faber confirmed it can no longer supply Rooney’s work in any format within the country, though it will continue to sell her titles in other territories. This move follows the UK government’s proscription of Palestine Action as a terrorist organization, a designation that has created a legal environment where providing financial aid or even expressing support for the group is a crime. Rooney explained that her publicly stated intention to use royalties from her work to support Palestine Action placed her publisher in a precarious position. Faber noted that current UK legislation prevents it from passing on earnings generated in Britain to the author. The publisher described the scenario of selling a writer’s work while being unable to remit the income as an unconscionable situation. Consequently, Faber agreed with Rooney to cease distribution in the UK. Rooney emphasized that she had consulted extensively with the publisher and gave her full consent to the decision. She stated she had made every effort to be honest with the public regarding her beliefs and was prepared to accept the resulting consequences. The legal backdrop for this decision involves the UK government’s classification of Palestine Action as a terrorist organization last summer. Under this designation, it is a criminal offense to provide financial assistance to the group or to hold opinions supportive of it. Activists of the group engage in direct action against arms manufacturers whose weapons are supplied to Israel. A specific incident involving the breaking into an RAF airbase in Oxfordshire and spraying red paint on aircraft precipitated the final push for the proscription. Since the ban took effect, authorities have arrested more than 3,700 individuals for opposing the proscription, many of whom were holding signs stating, "I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action." Rooney’s involvement with the cause began with an article written for The Irish Times criticizing the Irish government’s silence regarding Irish citizens arrested in the UK for supporting the group. Those citizens faced potential prison terms of up to 14 years under the new legislation. In the article, Rooney defended the group’s tactics against arms dealers and explicitly aligned herself with the organization. She warned that if UK law deemed her a supporter of terrorism, she intended to continue using her platform and earnings to support the cause. She specifically mentioned receiving residual payments from the BBC for television adaptations of her novels Normal People and Conversations with Friends, suggesting that if the state considered her actions terrorist activity, it should investigate the organizations promoting her work. This stance has had prior repercussions for Rooney’s professional life in Britain. In September 2025, she canceled a trip to the UK to accept the Sky Arts award for her 2024 novel Intermezzo due to the risk of arrest under the Terrorism Act. Later that year, in November 2025, she submitted a statement to the High Court supporting a legal challenge to the proscription. In that filing, she argued that the ban impeded free expression, including cultural and artistic expression, and warned that her works might vanish from UK bookstores entirely. The immediate impact of the distribution halt has caused a rush among readers. Independent bookshops across London reported selling out of Rooney’s titles rapidly. Brick Lane Bookshop stated that all copies of her books were out of stock and that they did not expect to receive further inventory. Staff at Pages of Hackney noted that purchasing from wholesalers was no longer possible. At Daunt Books in Marylebone, employees described the situation as a shame, confirming that while they could sell remaining stock, they could not restock. Paddy Screech, co-owner of Word on the Water, said he would keep Rooney’s books on his shelves as long as sourcing and selling remained legal. He questioned the connection between the author’s political views and her literary output, calling the publisher’s withdrawal evidence of the madness of the law. Reaction to the situation has been divided. Hundreds of authors signed an open letter over the weekend supporting Rooney. Conversely, sections of the right-wing press have criticized her, using terms such as "tedious," "malicious," and "posturing ingrate." The controversy highlights the tension between anti-terrorism legislation and freedom of expression. While Palestine Action is not banned in the Republic of Ireland, where Rooney resides, the UK’s strict enforcement has effectively removed her primary market for new book sales. Faber maintains that it remains the proud publisher of Rooney’s body of work and will continue to distribute her titles internationally. For now, existing copies of her books scattered throughout UK retail stores represent the final available stock for domestic buyers.