Four Palestine Action activists were jailed in London after a UK judge ruled their criminal damage convictions over an Elbit Systems UK raid had a terrorism connection.
Mr Justice Jeremy Johnson sentenced Samuel Corner, Charlotte Head, Leona Kamio and Fatema Rajwani at Woolwich Crown Court. The sentencing was over the August 6, 2024, raid at an Elbit Systems UK facility near Bristol, England.
The Associated Press reported that Corner received 7 years and 8 months, Head and Kamio each received 5 years, and Rajwani received 4 years and 8 months. The judge applied a terrorism connection under UK sentencing law.
Hundreds protested outside court after long sentences for Palestine Action activists over a protest at an Israeli weapons factory in the UK. Rights groups, experts and Amnesty warn the ruling could set a precedent for protest rights.
Al Jazeera’s Camille Nedelec reports. pic.twitter.com/9QTIbG478V
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) June 13, 2026The four were convicted of criminal damage after prosecutors said the raid caused about £1.2 million in damage at the Israeli defence manufacturer’s UK site.
Corner was also convicted of grievous bodily harm after a police officer was injured during the incident. Johnson said the action was intended to advance a political or ideological cause and influence government policy, according to AP.
The finding was made despite the defendants being convicted of criminal charges rather than terrorism offences.
The ruling marked the first time in UK legal history that direct-action protesters convicted of criminal damage faced a terrorism connection at sentencing. Meanwhile, two other activists, Jordan Devlin and Zoe Rogers, were cleared of charges linked to the case.
Read: London Police Arrest 212 at Protest Over Palestine Action Ban
More than 100 protesters were arrested outside the court during the sentencing. At the same time, supporters criticised the terrorism classification as a precedent for protest cases.
