Palestine Action activists behind £1MILLION defence firm raid could be sentenced as 'terrorists'

Four activists linked to Palestine Action who were found guilty of causing approximately £1million worth of damage to an Israel-connected defence company may face sentencing under terrorism legislation next month.

Charlotte Head, Samuel Corner, Leona Kamio and Fatema Rajwani were convicted at Woolwich Crown Court last week following their involvement in a nighttime incursion at the Elbit Systems facility in Bristol on August 6, 2024.

A pre-trial determination by Mr Justice Johnson, which can now be disclosed, established the offences carried a "terrorist connection".

The judge is scheduled to pass sentence on June 12 and may still apply the terrorism designation despite the High Court ruling in February the Government's ban on Palestine Action was unlawful.

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The Government's appeal against that decision remains before the Court of Appeal.

The group gained entry to the site by ramming through with a decommissioned prison van equipped with sledgehammers and crowbars.

During the overnight operation, Corner caused a fractured spine to police sergeant Kate Evans, for which he was separately convicted of grievous bodily harm.

Wearing red boilersuits, the activists recorded themselves breaking into the premises and destroying equipment, including computers and drones, while spraying red paint throughout the building using fire extinguishers.

The defendants maintained their actions were necessary to protect Palestinian lives, claiming they intended to inflict maximum damage on military equipment to prevent its deployment against civilians in Gaza.

Two other individuals charged alongside them, Zoe Rogers and Jordan Devlin, were acquitted of criminal damage by the jury.

The legal landscape surrounding the case remains complex.

Palestine Action was designated a terrorist organisation through a Government proscription order in July last year.

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It remains uncertain whether the Court of Appeal will deliver its verdict on the Government's challenge before sentencing takes place next month.

Justice Johnson imposed significant restrictions on what evidence the defence could present during proceedings.

He prohibited documents relating to the defendants' beliefs about Elbit's weapons supply to Israel and the legality of Israeli military operations in Gaza.

The judge ruled while defendants could outline their motivations, such evidence "need not, and should not be, extensive" to avoid the jury considering matters beyond the charges.

Supporters of the four convicted activists have accused authorities of orchestrating a "stitch-up", arguing jurors were kept unaware of the terrorism designation and its potential impact on sentencing.

Should the terrorism connection be applied at sentencing, the consequences would be severe. Prison terms would be extended and served without early release, with those convicted potentially facing years of monitoring by counter-terrorism officers following their release.

The proscription order has had wider ramifications beyond this case. Hundreds of Palestine Action supporters have faced terrorism-related charges since the ban was introduced, typically for displaying placards expressing support for the group and opposition to genocide at public demonstrations.

Police paused such arrests following the High Court ruling but have resumed detaining activists while awaiting the appeal outcome.

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