Sally Rooney Speaks Out After Her Books Are Pulled from UK Shelves Over Support for Palestinian Action: "I Am Fully Prepared to Face the Consequences"

Sally Rooney Clings to Her Weapon: The Irish Author Behind the Bestselling Novels *Conversations with Friends* and *Normal People* — the latter adapted into an award-winning miniseries that launched the careers of Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones — claims she has been forced to stop selling her books in the UK.

The Irish author behind the best-selling novels Conversations with Friends and Ordinary People - the latter of which was adapted into an award-winning mini-series and launched the careers of Paul Mescall and Daisy Edgar Jones - has claimed he was forced not to sell his books in the UK because of his support for a network that was "produced" by an illegal Palestinian action group. in the UK under the Terrorism Act 2000. Various related stories Verizon Strike multi-year distribution deal John Oliver Dodge David Ellison - Skydance News on 'Last Week Tonight'

Palestine Action uses direct action protests to "end global participation in Israel's genocidal and apartheid regime." When Palestine Action was banned last year and designated a "terrorist group", the 35-year-old author said he would use the proceeds from the sale of his book to support the organisation. He also canceled his trip to England last year to accept the award (and all future public appearances there) for fear of arrest. Popular in Variety

In a statement, Rooney said: "In July 2025, the protest group Palestine Direct Action was banned as a terrorist organization in the UK. The following month, I wrote an opinion piece stating my intention to continue to support Palestine Action, which is not a banned or proscribed group here in the Republic of Ireland."

He continued: As a result, the execution of contracts to publish my works in Britain can now be a serious criminal offense. After a process of consultation and consultation, and with my full agreement, my publisher Faber decided that they could no longer release my work in the UK. I've done my best to be honest with people about my beliefs and intentions, and I'm fully prepared to accept the consequences.

Faber, Rooney's publisher in the UK and Ireland, echoed Rooney's claims in a similar statement:

"The current rules in the UK have led to Faber not being able to transfer UK earnings for his work to Sally Rooney. Selling the author's works and not being able to transfer the income is an unreasonable situation for a publisher. As such, and in full agreement with Sally, we have decided that we can no longer offer her work in the UK in any format. "We remain the proud publisher of his remarkable collection of works, which we will continue to sell in other territories."

According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, since the massacre of more than 1,200 people by Hamas on October 7, 2023, Israeli military retaliatory attacks on Gaza have reportedly killed more than 75,000 people.

In his August 2025 Irish Times article defending his involvement in Palestine Action, Rooney wrote: “Palestine Action has been one of the strongest voices in Britain, taking direct steps to stop the seemingly unstoppable machine of violence. We owe our gratitude and solidarity to their brave activists. And now, almost two years after the live-streamed genocide, we owe the Palestinian people more than just words.