UK Jury Acquits Six Palestine Action Activists of Aggravated Burglary in Elbit Systems Raid

Defendants cleared of burglary charge over 2024 break-in at Israeli defence firm’s UK site as jury fails to decide on other alleged offences

A jury at Woolwich Crown Court in London on Wednesday found six pro-Palestinian activists not guilty of aggravated burglary in connection with a high-profile break-in at a UK facility of the Israeli-linked defence manufacturer Elbit Systems in August 2024. The defendants — Charlotte Head, Samuel Corner, Leona Kamio, Fatema Zainab Rajwani, Zoe Rogers and Jordan Devlin — had all denied charges arising from the early-morning incident at the Elbit Systems UK factory in Bristol, where a repurposed prison van was used to enter the site and tools including sledgehammers and crowbars were employed to damage equipment.

After more than thirty-six hours of deliberation, jurors acquitted all six activists of aggravated burglary, a serious offence that carries a potential life sentence, and found Rajwani, Rogers and Devlin not guilty of violent disorder.

The panel, however, failed to reach verdicts on other counts brought against the group, including criminal damage for all six and a charge alleging that Corner, twenty-three, inflicted grievous bodily harm with intent on a police sergeant with a sledgehammer.

With no verdicts returned on those counts, prosecutors are expected to consider whether to pursue retrials on some of the unresolved charges.

The defendants embraced in the dock and supporters in the public gallery applauded as the judge departed the courtroom.

The action at Elbit’s Bristol site, organised by members of the now-banned Palestine Action group, caused significant property damage and drew national attention to the methods of direct action employed by protest networks in the context of ongoing international tensions.

Government and law enforcement agencies have said they will review the outcome and next steps in relation to outstanding charges and broader public order policies.