Four Palestine Action protesters who smashed into the Elbit Systems UK factory near Bristol on 6 August 2024 are set to be sentenced on 12 June 2026. Although none of the defendants face terrorism charges, the sentencing will consider the judge’s ruling that their actions had a “terrorist connection.”
The protesters, Charlotte Head, Samuel Corner, Leona Kamio, and Fatema Rajwani, drove a prison van into the defence site, damaged military equipment, and sprayed red paint on walls. During the raid, Samuel Corner caused grievous bodily harm by fracturing a police officer’s spine.
Before the trial at Woolwich Crown Court, Mr Justice Johnson ruled that the protesters’ actions had a “terrorist connection,” a finding that may influence their sentencing. This ruling came despite the jury convicting them only on criminal damage charges and not on any terrorism offences.
The judge’s terrorism link has sparked controversy, especially since the Government’s proscription of Palestine Action in July 2025 was ruled unlawful by the High Court in February 2026. The Court of Appeal is currently reviewing that decision, but no ruling is expected before the sentencing date.
Supporters of the defendants have warned that the terrorism designation could lead to longer prison sentences, no eligibility for early release, and extended counter-terrorism monitoring after release.
Defend Our Juries and other supporters criticised the sentencing approach, highlighting that jurors were not informed about the alleged terror connection before delivering their verdicts. The defendants were also restricted from presenting evidence that Elbit Systems supplied weapons used in Gaza or from arguing that their raid aimed to prevent harm to Palestinians.
Mr Justice Johnson barred extensive arguments about Israel’s military actions, citing concerns that jurors might consider political debates irrelevant to the criminal charges. The activists maintained that their intent was to damage military equipment to protect Palestinian lives.
Two other defendants, Zoe Rogers and Jordan Devlin, were acquitted of criminal damage charges, and all six original defendants were cleared of aggravated burglary earlier in the proceedings.
This case forms part of wider tensions over protest rights and state action. Since the proscription of Palestine Action, hundreds of its supporters have been arrested under terrorism laws, mainly for peaceful demonstrations. Arrests paused following the High Court ruling but have resumed while the appeal is ongoing.
Originally published by UKNIP.
