Four Palestine Action Activists to Appeal Sentences for Damage at Elbit Systems Factory

Four activists from Palestine Action, who caused £1.2 million in damage to a UK factory of an Israel-based defense firm, are set to appeal their sentences in the Court of Appeal, according to their solicitor. Charlotte Head, 30, Samuel Corner, 24, Leona Kamio, 31, and Fatema Rajwani, 22, used sledgehammers and crowbars to damage equipment at the Elbit Systems site near Bristol in August 2024. During the incident, Corner struck police officer Kate Evans with a sledgehammer, resulting in a fractured spine. In June, Mr. Justice Johnson sentenced Corner to seven years and eight months for criminal damage and causing grievous bodily harm, while Head and Kamio received five-year sentences, and Rajwani was sentenced to four years and eight months for criminal damage. Head was reported to have driven a prison van that crashed through the factory gates. The activists, dressed in red jumpsuits, began destroying equipment and clashed with security and police. This case marks the first instance where convictions for criminal damage have been linked to terrorism. Their solicitor, Simon Natas, stated they would appeal against what he described as 'excessive' sentences, arguing that the judge's classification of their actions as terrorism was legally incorrect. The Court of Appeal has acknowledged receipt of their application for permission to appeal. Natas emphasized that direct action had not previously been classified as terrorism in his 15 years of defending protest cases. He argued that the activists did not intend to intimidate the public or influence the government but aimed to destroy weapons intended for Israel. The judge ruled that the raid was intended to influence government policy and intimidate the public for political reasons. During the press conference, Rajwani's mother criticized the classification of property damage as terrorism, while Kamio's mother highlighted her daughter's motivations related to the violence against children in conflict zones. Human rights lawyer Michael Mansfield KC expressed concern that individuals could be labeled terrorists without a jury trial determining such allegations. The raid contributed to the UK government's decision to classify Palestine Action as a terrorist organization, although a High Court later deemed the proscription unlawful. The sentences have drawn political criticism, with various leaders expressing differing views on the implications for the right to protest.