Four UK pro-Palestinian activists jailed for up to 7 years 8 months after judge finds raid on Israeli arms factory had a terrorist link

The raid and the damage

On 6 August 2024, four members of Palestine Action used an old prison van to crash through the gates of an Elbit Systems factory near Bristol in southwest England. Dressed in red boilersuits, they moved through the site with sledgehammers and crowbars, destroying computers, drones and other equipment. The group later said they aimed to dismantle weaponry they believed would be used to kill people in Gaza. Elbit told the court it had received almost £1.2 million (about €1.4 million) from insurers to cover the damage.

During the raid, Samuel Corner struck a police officer, Sergeant Kate Evans, twice on the back with a seven-pound sledgehammer while she was trying to detain another activist. Evans suffered a fractured spine and told the court she had to give up her sergeant rank, was still undergoing medical treatment nearly two years later, and experienced disturbed sleep. In an impact statement she said:

“The emotional impact of this incident has been profound and ongoing. I experience disturbed sleep, often waking in a panicked state or after distressing dreams.”

Sentences and the terrorism finding

At Woolwich Crown Court on 12 June 2026, Judge Jeremy Johnson ruled that all four offences had a terrorist connection. He said the raid was intended to influence British government policy towards Israel and to intimidate Elbit and other firms working with the Israeli arms industry.

“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.”

Corner, a 23-year-old former Oxford student, received the longest term: seven years and eight months for criminal damage and inflicting grievous bodily harm. Charlotte Head (30), who drove the van, and Leona Kamio (30) were sentenced to five years each. Fatema Rajwani (21) was given four years and eight months. All four will spend an additional year on licence after release. Head was also banned from driving for one year. Because of the terrorist finding, the offenders do not qualify for early-release provisions and the Parole Board will assess their risk before deciding when they can be freed.

The legal battle over Palestine Action's proscription

Palestine Action was formally proscribed as a terrorist organisation under the 2000 Terrorism Act on 5 July 2025, following acts of vandalism including the Bristol raid and an attack on a Royal Air Force base. Membership of the group or organising events in its support can carry prison terms of up to 14 years. Since the ban, more than 3,000 supporters have been detained at demonstrations.

However, in February 2026 London's High Court ruled the proscription unlawful, calling it disproportionate. The ban remains in force while the government appeals, and a further ruling from the High Court is expected on Monday 15 June 2026.

Reaction and protests

About 500 people gathered outside the court on the day of sentencing. The Metropolitan Police arrested 72 protesters for displaying signs supporting Palestine Action. The Filton 25 Defence Committee called the sentencing a miscarriage of justice.

“The four protestors sentenced today destroyed over 40 Israeli weapons, including killer drones, which are used in almost every massacre of Palestinians in Gaza. By taking direct action, they saved lives. That is not terrorism, it is a duty.”

Inside the courtroom, Head and Rajwani cried as the judge delivered his ruling. Defence lawyers had argued that applying a terrorist connection was baseless, and an appeal is expected.