Anti-Israel agitators have been encouraged to damage buildings with a sledgehammer by protest group Palestine Action.

Ministers have reported the group’s Underground Manual to the police over alleged incitement to violence. Policing minister Chris Philp said he was personally reporting Palestine Action to the police over the manual. Philp told the Telegraph: “This is clearly an incitement to commit criminal offences.”

Lord Walney, the Government’s independent adviser on political violence and disruption, said the handbook would be a “test case” of the authorities' willingness to deal with “pernicious militants”.

Palestine Action’s Underground Manual advised protesters on “smashing windows”, and “breaking into your target and damaging the contents”.

“Smashing stuff can also be very quick to do. With an efficient sledgehammer in your hand, you can cause quite a bit of damage!” the manual recommends.

According to a post by Palestine Action on 10 October, the manual “contains the essential information for creating an autonomous group able to independently strike at the facilitators of Israel’s systemic and military violence”.

Exposed by the Telegraph five months ago, the controversial pdf can still be found online.

A Palestine Action activist destroys a 1914 painting of Lord Balfour

Palestine Action claimed responsibility for the vandalism of a portrait of Lord Balfour at the University of Cambridge. The group have smashed the entrance to banks and daubed paint on buildings that it says are connected to Israel’s arms trade.

On Sunday, the group planned a direct action training day in Manchester, “to bring together like minded people for a day of talks, trainings and group discussions. All of which is geared towards harnessing the strength of the grassroots and directing it towards bringing down Israel.”

Palestine Action has been approached for comment.