A jury has been discharged in the trial of eight Palestine Action activists accused of helping to organise a raid on the UK site of an Israel-based defence firm. The trial, held at the Old Bailey, involved Ian Sanders, Aleksandra Herbich, Teuta Hoxha, Sean Middleborough, Julija Brigadirova, Hannah Davidson, Madeleine Norman and William Plastow.
The activists were charged with criminal damage following a raid on Elbit Systems in Filton, near Bristol, in August 2024. They also faced charges of violent disorder, though Mr Plastow was previously found not guilty of this offence. The group denied any wrongdoing.
The court heard that none of the defendants were alleged to have been at the Elbit site during the raid, but were accused of planning it. This alleged planning included compiling an equipment list, conducting reconnaissance, purchasing tools and weapons, and coordinating the break-in and its filming. Judge Patrick Field discharged the jury after 37 hours of deliberations.