Four Palestine Action activists are being sentenced today at Woolwich Crown Court for causing £1 million of damage during a raid on the Elbit Systems UK defence factory in Bristol in August 2024. The protest came amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, with the group targeting equipment they claimed was used in Middle East violence. Outside the court, hundreds of demonstrators protested, resulting in 72 arrests by Metropolitan Police.
Mass Arrests At Court
Police detained 72 protesters supporting Palestine Action at Woolwich Crown Court, where sentencing is underway. Officers acted under current law, which still proscribes the group as a terror organisation despite a recent High Court ruling declaring the ban unlawful. The court awaits a ruling from the Court of Appeal that could affect the group’s legal status.
Targeted Defence Firm
The activists attacked Elbit Systems’ Bristol factory, a supplier to UK Armed Forces and Israeli military. Using a prison van as a battering ram, the group smashed computers, drones, and other military equipment, spraying red paint and causing damage estimated at around £1 million. The raid was intended to disrupt weaponry linked to the conflict in Gaza.
Violent Confrontation
During the raid, scuffles occurred with security and police. One officer, Sergeant Kate Evans, suffered a fractured spine when Samuel Corner, one of the activists, struck her with a sledgehammer. Corner stated it was an attempt to protect another protester in distress.
Legal Battle Amp Sentencing
Samuel Corner, Charlotte Head, Leona Kamio, and Fatema Rajwani were convicted of criminal damage after a retrial. Corner was also found guilty of grievous bodily harm. The judge faces deciding whether to impose tougher sentences citing a “terrorist connection” to the raid—a point contested amid ongoing legal challenges over the group’s proscription.
Protest Support Amp Courtroom Tensions
Former Labour shadow chancellor John McDonnell joined protesters outside, calling the terrorism label “completely unjust” and urging for the activists’ release. Inside court, concerns were raised about police and security behaviour towards barristers and visitors, including allegations of unnecessary interrogations and denied access.
