In a landmark legal decision, six Palestine Action activists have been cleared of aggravated burglary charges stemming from their raid on an Israeli-owned arms manufacturing facility. The Woolwich Crown Court jury delivered not guilty verdicts for Leona Kamio (30), Samuel Corner (23), Fatema Rajwani (21), Zoe Rogers (22), Jordan Devlin (31), and Charlotte Head following extensive deliberations exceeding 36 hours.
The August 2024 incident at Elbit Systems’ Bristol-area plant involved defendants using sledgehammers to damage property, though they consistently maintained these tools were never intended as weapons against security personnel. While five defendants admitted to destroying military equipment, the jury failed to reach consensus on criminal damage charges and couldn’t deliver verdicts regarding Corner’s alleged grievous bodily harm against a police officer.
The trial revealed significant evidentiary complexities, including missing CCTV footage from critical areas where altercations occurred. Police CCTV recovery officer PC Sarah Grant testified that two cameras showed no movement due to low frame rates, though bodycam evidence presented showed security guard Angelo Volante allegedly striking Devlin with a sledgehammer and brandishing a whip.
Judicial oversight played a crucial role throughout proceedings. Mr Justice Johnson repeatedly instructed jurors to disregard both the defendants’ moral justifications and their personal views on the Israel-Gaza conflict, emphasizing that verdicts must be based solely on legal evidence. This directive sparked controversy when a juror reported concerns about posters near the court promoting jury equity principles.
The Crown Prosecution Service now faces a seven-day deadline to determine whether to pursue retrials on undecided charges. The acquittals represent a significant outcome for activist groups challenging arms exports to conflict zones, highlighting the complex intersection of property destruction claims and perceived life-saving motivations in contemporary protest movements.