Four Palestine Action activists convicted of criminal damage | UK news

Four of six Palestine Action activists charged with breaking into an Israeli defense firm’s UK facility have been found guilty of criminal damage.

Charlotte Head, 29, Samuel Corner, 23, Leona Kamio, 30, and Fatema Rajwani, 21, were found guilty on Tuesday of smashing property, including drones and computers manufactured by Elbit Systems at its factory in Filton, near Bristol, on August 6, 2024.

After the jury deliberated for more than 14 hours, Corner was also found guilty by an 11-to-1 majority of causing grievous bodily harm to Sergeant Kate Evans, whom she struck with a sledgehammer. It was stated that Corner was cleared of causing grievous bodily harm with intent. Zoe Rogers, 22, and Jordan Devlin, 31, were acquitted of criminal damage.

The jury at Woolwich crown court heard activists used sledgehammers and crowbars they brought with them to destroy computers, drones and other equipment, and used fire extinguishers to spray red paint on walls and floors.

The defendants were being tried again by a different jury, having previously been acquitted of aggravated burglary, crimes that carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. At the previous trial, jurors found Rajwani, Rogers and Devlin not guilty of violent disorder and were unable to reach a verdict for the other three defendants. Prosecutors later chose not to pursue violent disorder charges against Head, Corner and Kamio.

Sentencing will take place at a later date.