More than 70 individuals have been arrested by the Metropolitan Police following a demonstration outside Woolwich Crown Court. The arrests, totalling 72 people, took place ahead of the sentencing of four Palestine Action activists convicted of criminal damage.
The activists – Charlotte Head, 30, Samuel Corner, 23, Leona Kamio, 30, and Fatema Rajwani, 21 – are due to be sentenced for their involvement in an incident at a UK facility belonging to an Israel-based defence firm near Bristol in August 2024. The demonstration, organised by Palestine Action, was held in support of the four individuals.
During proceedings at Woolwich Crown Court, Mr Justice Johnson stated that the estimated £1.2 million worth of damage caused at the Elbit Systems site was 'not trivial or minor'. He further ruled that the actions of the group would be sentenced on the basis that they had a 'terrorist connection'.
Mr Justice Johnson clarified that the offenders' actions constituted significant damage intended to influence government policy and to intimidate a segment of the public, thereby advancing their cause. He informed the court, "I am bound to find that the offence in each case had a terrorist connection and to apply that as an aggravating factor increasing the seriousness of the offence."
The arrests highlight the ongoing tension surrounding protests related to the Israel-Palestine conflict and the legal ramifications for activists engaged in direct action. The Metropolitan Police have not yet released details regarding the specific charges faced by the 72 arrested demonstrators.