Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Politics

Palestine Action activists jailed over factory raid

115 replies

Twiglets1 · 13/06/2026 06:25

The BBC report that four Palestine Action activists have been jailed after causing £1.2m of damage at a UK site of an Israel-based defence firm.

Charlotte Head, 30, Samuel Corner, 23, Leona Kamio, 30, and Fatema Rajwani, 21, were convicted of criminal damage in a retrial after they broke into the Elbit Systems factory near Bristol in August 2024.

Corner was jailed for seven years and eight months for criminal damage and inflicting grievous bodily harm on a police sergeant. The judge, Mr Justice Johnson, said Corner had had no justification for the "extreme and gratuitous force" used.

The case is believed to be the first time that convictions for criminal damage have been classified as being connected to terrorism.

The judge said their actions had aimed to influence the government.

Head, who drove the prison van into the compound, was sentenced to five years in prison, Kamio was also handed a five-year jail term, and Rajwani received a prison sentence of four years and eight months.

The offenders will not qualify for early release from prison provisions and the Parole Board will assess their risk to the public when it determines when they can be set free.

All four will also serve an additional one year on a licence in the community at the end of their terms.

Green Party Leader Zack Polanski said it was "gut-wrenching to see four young people jailed for direct action against an arms supplier to Israel".

He added that the sentence was a "truly dangerous attack on the right to protest".

Labour MP John McDonnell said the scale of the sentences was "truly shocking".

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce950111xk7o

A person wearing a red jumpsuit and black cap, using a sledgehammer to damage equipment inside the factory.

Palestine Action activists jailed over Bristol Elbit factory raid

The case is believed to be the first time that convictions for criminal damage have been classified as terrorism.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce950111xk7o

OP posts:
Thread gallery
7
Twiglets1 · 13/06/2026 19:23

noblegiraffe · 13/06/2026 12:18

Here's what Badenoch has posted.

I'm not a Badenoch fan but this is definitely a more appropriate response.

Yes it is a good response, which I am starting to expect from her.

OP posts:
Sulgari · 13/06/2026 18:46

mumofoneAloneandwell · 13/06/2026 16:37

Arms are sold for all sorts of reasons. Its Israel's use of them specifically that I am objecting to.

As I thought

Neevo · 13/06/2026 16:51

Considering this has been linked to terrorism, think very carefully about how the CPS have managed to do this. The bar has to be pretty high. I wonder who might have been funding these people?
a few years ago a warehouse was set on fire that contained drones set for Ukraine to help the war effort. The arsonist were paid for by Russian state actors.

im very interested who might have been influencing these people.

mumofoneAloneandwell · 13/06/2026 16:37

Sulgari · 13/06/2026 16:35

Is it all arms being sold as part of a perfectly legal business, or is it just Israel you object to?

Arms are sold for all sorts of reasons. Its Israel's use of them specifically that I am objecting to.

Sulgari · 13/06/2026 16:35

mumofoneAloneandwell · 13/06/2026 16:08

Sabotage of arms that will be used to kill children is perfectly moral imo.

Is it all arms being sold as part of a perfectly legal business, or is it just Israel you object to?

Sulgari · 13/06/2026 16:34

rellylivesthere · 13/06/2026 16:06

Protesters also should not be allowed to stop others going about their normal business. The sooner everyone agrees that only peaceful protest is allowed, the better for our democracy which appears somewhat anarchic right now.

Yes. Agree

Boomer55 · 13/06/2026 16:27

Good, They deserved the punishment. I don’t care why they were vandalising. 🙄

mumofoneAloneandwell · 13/06/2026 16:08

rellylivesthere · 13/06/2026 16:03

The right in the UK is to peaceful protest not violence and vandalism and sabotage of property.

Sabotage of arms that will be used to kill children is perfectly moral imo.

rellylivesthere · 13/06/2026 16:06

Protesters also should not be allowed to stop others going about their normal business. The sooner everyone agrees that only peaceful protest is allowed, the better for our democracy which appears somewhat anarchic right now.

rellylivesthere · 13/06/2026 16:03

mumofoneAloneandwell · 13/06/2026 15:53

Agree. Attacking an arms factory isn't attacking jewish people who live their lives like the rest of us. Its not terrorism, its protest at what Israel are doing to innocent people.

The right in the UK is to peaceful protest not violence and vandalism and sabotage of property.

mumofoneAloneandwell · 13/06/2026 16:01

EasternStandard · 13/06/2026 15:59

And the sledgehammer attack?

Was wrong and is justifiably being punished.

2dogsandabudgie · 13/06/2026 16:00

mumofoneAloneandwell · 13/06/2026 15:53

Agree. Attacking an arms factory isn't attacking jewish people who live their lives like the rest of us. Its not terrorism, its protest at what Israel are doing to innocent people.

And what are your feelings on the poor police woman who was attacked with a sledgehammer?

EasternStandard · 13/06/2026 15:59

mumofoneAloneandwell · 13/06/2026 15:53

Agree. Attacking an arms factory isn't attacking jewish people who live their lives like the rest of us. Its not terrorism, its protest at what Israel are doing to innocent people.

And the sledgehammer attack?

mumofoneAloneandwell · 13/06/2026 15:53

JacknDiane · 13/06/2026 07:35

I watched the news last night about what Israel are doing in Lebanon, bombing decent people's homes to rubble, destroying communities, in the guise of killing hesbollah members. Basically Lebanon is the next Gaza.
Then heard this news about protesters being jailed for attacking an arms factory.

When will this Israeli government ever be held to account?

Agree. Attacking an arms factory isn't attacking jewish people who live their lives like the rest of us. Its not terrorism, its protest at what Israel are doing to innocent people.

Sulgari · 13/06/2026 15:49

MulberryBrandy · 13/06/2026 12:36

What is perplexing me is why Polanski has become popular - if he really has not addressed the extreme violence against the policewoman?

His Twitter had nothing about the violence earlier

Nor did Corbyn’s

Desperatelyseekinglazysusan · 13/06/2026 13:05

noblegiraffe · 13/06/2026 12:18

Here's what Badenoch has posted.

I'm not a Badenoch fan but this is definitely a more appropriate response.

Good for her 'in prison for protesting lives lost in Gaza' Disingenuous. Re why is he popular- because the people he is talking to don't really care about anyone who disagrees with their actions. They are the type of people who think any harm done to anyone but their 'approved' victims is fair game. Police, Jewish people going about their business in the UK, Iranian dissidents etc. All fair game for the Omnicause.

MulberryBrandy · 13/06/2026 12:36

Walkyrie · 13/06/2026 12:19

And people wonder why she’s popular.

What is perplexing me is why Polanski has become popular - if he really has not addressed the extreme violence against the policewoman?

rellylivesthere · 13/06/2026 12:24

The sentences are all too light especially for the one who hit the policewoman with a sledgehammer. That should be attempted murder.
They have caused millions of pounds of damage and ruined a lady's life forever. What companies would want to invest in the UK if they thought the legal system would let such behaviour off with a mere slap on the wrist.

Walkyrie · 13/06/2026 12:19

noblegiraffe · 13/06/2026 12:18

Here's what Badenoch has posted.

I'm not a Badenoch fan but this is definitely a more appropriate response.

And people wonder why she’s popular.

noblegiraffe · 13/06/2026 12:18

Twiglets1 · 13/06/2026 07:15

You would think the state would be concerned about the fractures in society. Though the quote from the Labour MP suggests they think the sentencing was too harsh. The quote from that idiot Polanski was all too predictable.

Will be interesting to see what Kemi Badenoch & Keir Starmer have to say about it, if they choose to comment.

Here's what Badenoch has posted.

I'm not a Badenoch fan but this is definitely a more appropriate response.

Palestine Action activists jailed over factory raid
Twiglets1 · 13/06/2026 10:55

noblegiraffe · 13/06/2026 10:28

People who were defending this attack seemed to think that we should be sympathetic to the idea that the police shouldn't have gone in with tasers and tear gas to apprehend a group who were swinging around whips and sledgehammers, illegally trespassing and smashing stuff up to the tune of over a million pounds of damage, then resisting arrest. The police should have recognised that this mob were not normal vandals and thugs despite them doing exactly what normal vandals and thugs do.

If it were a Tommy Robinson supporter who had bludgeoned a police officer, they would be full of nothing but condemnation.

Very true … maybe a spell in prison mixing with “the common people” will remind then they ain’t special where the law is concerned.

OP posts:
noblegiraffe · 13/06/2026 10:28

People who were defending this attack seemed to think that we should be sympathetic to the idea that the police shouldn't have gone in with tasers and tear gas to apprehend a group who were swinging around whips and sledgehammers, illegally trespassing and smashing stuff up to the tune of over a million pounds of damage, then resisting arrest. The police should have recognised that this mob were not normal vandals and thugs despite them doing exactly what normal vandals and thugs do.

If it were a Tommy Robinson supporter who had bludgeoned a police officer, they would be full of nothing but condemnation.

Twiglets1 · 13/06/2026 10:27

Walkyrie · 13/06/2026 10:20

It’s the age old ‘when somebody shows you who they are, believe them’.

A man who is willing to break an innocent woman’s spine with a sledgehammer for his cause is inherently not a good person no matter what that cause is.

Many of these ‘Palestine’ activists are massive egos in keffiyehs. Huge overlaps with misogyny, antisemitism, and anger problems.

Exactly.

I have causes I feel extremely strongly about such as animal welfare.

Wouldn’t be hitting anyone with a sledgehammer though. Or making excuses for anyone else doing it in the name of the cause.

OP posts:
Walkyrie · 13/06/2026 10:20

It’s the age old ‘when somebody shows you who they are, believe them’.

A man who is willing to break an innocent woman’s spine with a sledgehammer for his cause is inherently not a good person no matter what that cause is.

Many of these ‘Palestine’ activists are massive egos in keffiyehs. Huge overlaps with misogyny, antisemitism, and anger problems.

RhannionKPSS · 13/06/2026 10:17

Good to see justice being served at last on those thugs