A barrister has likened a Palestine Action activist to the suffragettes during his closing arguments in a high-profile trial concerning a break-in at a defence factory near Bristol.
Defence Draws Historical Parallels
Charlotte Head, 29, is one of six defendants standing trial at Woolwich Crown Court in south-east London. They face charges including aggravated burglary, criminal damage, and violent disorder related to a protest at the Elbit Systems factory in Filton, near Bristol, on 6 August 2024.
In his closing submissions on Thursday, Head's barrister, Rajiv Menon KC, detailed her history of activism. He drew a direct comparison between his client and the suffragettes, who he said were once vilified as a threat to social order but are now celebrated.
"The suffragettes were remarkable women from all walks of life united in their hope, their despair, their defiance and their dedication," Menon told the court. "Charlotte Head is also a remarkable woman and I say that without any reservation."
Menon described Elbit Systems, the Israeli defence contractor of which the UK site is a subsidiary, as a "dreadful company" that "has played a critical role in the killing of tens of thousands of Palestinians". He argued that any violence during the August protest was unplanned and contrary to the group's usual methods of non-violent direct action.
Prosecution Rejects Self-Defence Claim
Earlier on Thursday, prosecutor Deanna Heer KC completed her closing arguments. She strongly rejected the defence put forward by co-defendant Samuel Corner, who is also charged with causing grievous bodily harm to a police officer, Kate Evans.
Corner had claimed he struck Evans with a sledgehammer after being sprayed with Pava spray because he heard co-defendants screaming. Heer told the jury his actions were "nothing to do with self-defence or defence of anyone else". She stated the force used against Evans, who sustained a fractured spine, was "completely unreasonable, completely disproportionate".
Both Heer and the trial judge, Mr Justice Johnson, instructed the jury to set aside any personal views on the Middle East conflict. Johnson told jurors: "Your decision should be a decision in which bias, emotion, sympathy, prejudice, political views and matters of that sort play no part."
Verdict Expected Next Week
The six defendants, who all deny the charges, are:
- Charlotte Head
- Samuel Corner
- Leona Kamio
- Fatema Rajwani
- Zoe Rogers
- Jordan Devlin
Barristers for the remaining defendants are scheduled to deliver their closing submissions on Friday. Following this, the judge will sum up the case for the jury, which is likely to be sent out to deliberate early next week.
