Palestine Action protesters who smashed their way into an Israel-linked defence firm with crowbars and sledgehammers could be sentenced as terrorists, it has emerged.
Convictions and Charges
Charlotte Head, Samuel Corner, Leona Kamio and Fatema Rajwani were convicted of criminal damage last week at Woolwich Crown Court over a raid on August 6, 2024. Corner was also found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm after he fractured a police officer's spine during the nighttime incursion at the Elbit Systems UK site near Bristol. The four defendants, who claimed the action was necessary to protect Palestinians, ploughed into the site using an old prison van.
Terrorist Connection Ruling
In a pre-trial ruling, Mr Justice Johnson found the charges in the case had a 'terrorist connection'. Palestine Action was banned as a terrorist organisation under a Government proscription order in July 2025, but the controversial move was declared unlawful by the High Court in February this year. Mr Justice Johnson may still consider a terror link to the raid when he passes sentence on June 12, despite the High Court ruling.
Police sergeant Kate Evans told jurors how she believed her spine could have been 'shattered' and feared she may have been 'paralysed' after being hit by Corner. The Court of Appeal is currently considering an appeal by the Government, but it is not yet known if it will have delivered its ruling when the judge passes sentence next month.
Criticism and Legal Context
Supporters of the defendants have complained of a 'stitch-up', arguing that jurors were not told of the terror link or that the activists could face aggravated sentences. They say if sentences are passed with a terrorist connection, jail terms would be longer and have to be served in full, with years of monitoring by counter-terror police after prison. UK activist group Defend Our Juries said: 'For the first time in British history, a judge is seeking to sentence protestors as terrorists despite the jury convicting them only on criminal damage charges.'
In pre-trial rulings, Mr Justice Johnson also banned the defendants from putting forward documents relating to their reasons for believing that Elbit supplied Israel with weapons and that Israel's military operations in Gaza were unlawful. The defendants were permitted to set out how the raid was part of a campaign of direct action by Palestine Action to cause damage to Elbit property, but the judge ruled that those aspects should be carefully limited.
During the raid, activists wore red boilersuits and filmed themselves entering the factory and smashing equipment. There were clashes as police and security guards tried to intervene, and destruction was caused to computers and drones while fire extinguishers were used to spray red paint across the walls and floor.
Hundreds of supporters of Palestine Action have been arrested and charged with a terrorism offence since the original proscription order was made, but arrests were halted after the High Court ruling. Police have started detaining activists again while the Court of Appeal considers its ruling on the lawfulness of the Government's ban.
