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The Guardian World1 min read
Palestine Action activists could face UK ‘terror’ sentences: What we know
TL;DR
Four Palestine Action activists are facing sentencing in the UK as 'terrorists' despite being convicted of other charges. The group was designated as a terrorist organization in July 2024.
Key points
- Four activists from Palestine Action face sentencing in the UK.
- They were convicted of criminal damage during a raid on an Elbit factory.
- One activist was found guilty of assaulting a police officer.
- Palestine Action was designated a terrorist organization in July 2024.
- Protests have erupted over the potential terrorist classification of their offences.
Mentioned in this story
Palestine ActionElbit
Four activists from the Palestine Action group face sentencing in the United Kingdom as “terrorists” on Friday, despite only being convicted by a jury of other criminal charges.
Palestine Action was formally proscribed as a “terrorist” organisation in the UK last July.
Last month, four of six activists on trial were convicted at Woolwich Crown Court in London of criminal damage during a 2024 raid on a factory in Filton, Bristol, operated by Israeli defence firm Elbit. One of the defendants was also found guilty of striking a police officer with a sledgehammer.
The possibility that the judge will rule that the offences have a “terrorist connection” for sentencing purposes has prompted protests.
What is Palestine Action?
The protest group Palestine Action, launched in July 2020, describes itself as a movement “committed to ending global participation in Israel’s genocidal and apartheid regime”.
It seeks to use “disruptive tactics” to target “corporate enablers” and companies involved in the manufacture of weapons for Israel, such as Israel-based Elbit Systems, Italian aerospace company Leonardo, French multinational Thales and Teledyne from the United States. The group has targeted British facilities linked to those companies.
The UK parliament voted in favour of proscribing the group on July 2, 2025, classifying it as a “terrorist” organisation, and bringing it into the same category as armed groups such as al-Qaeda and ISIL (ISIS). The proscription came days after its activists sneaked into an air force base in southern England.
Critics decried the move by MPs, arguing that while members of the group have caused damage to property, they have not committed violent acts that amount to terrorism.
What were they convicted of?
In August 2024, Palestine Action activists raided a factory in Filton near Bristol in southwest England, operated by Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems. They entered the site and caused extensive damage in an attempt to disrupt the production of weapons and drone components they say would be used by Israel in Gaza.
The raid, which prosecutors said caused about one million pounds ($1.36m) of damage, happened 10 months into Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza that began in October 2023.
Last month, jurors at Woolwich Crown Court convicted Charlotte Head, 30, Samuel Corner, 23, Leona Kamio, 30, and Fatema Zainab Rajwani, 21, of criminal damage. The four activists have become known as “the Filton 4”.
Corner was also found guilty of striking a police officer with a sledgehammer and convicted of inflicting grievous bodily harm.
Q&A
What charges are the Palestine Action activists facing in the UK?
The activists were convicted of criminal damage during a raid on a factory and one was found guilty of assaulting a police officer.
When was Palestine Action designated as a terrorist organization in the UK?
Palestine Action was formally proscribed as a terrorist organization in July 2024.
What is the significance of the sentencing for Palestine Action activists?
The sentencing could classify their offences as having a 'terrorist connection', which has sparked protests.
What happened during the raid on the Elbit factory in Bristol?
The raid involved criminal damage and led to the conviction of four activists for their actions at the factory operated by Israeli defense firm Elbit.
