Four Palestine Action activists have been jailed for a combined total of more than 26 years after a raid on an Israeli‑linked defence factory in Bristol that left a police officer with a fractured spine and caused £1.2 million in damage.
Samuel Corner, 23, was sentenced to eight years and eight months at Woolwich Crown Court on Friday for his role in the attack on Elbit Systems UK, a subsidiary of the Israeli arms manufacturer. Charlotte Head, 30, and Leona Kamio, 30, each received six years, while Fatema Rajwani, 21, was jailed for five years and eight months. The judge, Mr Justice Johnson, ruled that the offences had a terrorist connection, saying the raid amounted to an ‘act of terrorism’ aimed at influencing the government and intimidating the public.
“Four Palestine Action activists jailed for up to 8 years for factory raid that left police officer with broken spine and caused £1.2m damage.”
The group – dubbed the Filton Four – crashed an old prison van into Elbit’s security fence on 6 August 2024 before using sledgehammers and crowbars to smash computers, drones and other equipment. The damage to Elbit’s insurers came to around £1,266,000.
During the raid, Corner struck PC Kate Evans on the back with a sledgehammer, fracturing her spine. In a victim impact statement read to the court, PC Evans, fighting back tears, said she had been forced to give up her rank because of the injuries and still requires medical treatment. ‘The emotional impact of this incident has been profound and ongoing,’ she said. ‘I experience disturbed sleep, often waking in a panicked state or after distressing dreams.’ The judge described the violence against her as ‘extreme and gratuitous force against a vulnerable police officer acting in the course of her duties.’
The judge said the four had ‘decided to take matters into your own hands’ after concluding that the Israeli government is committing genocide in Gaza and becoming ‘disillusioned’ with legal efforts to oppose it. They had been heavily involved in organising the raid, with a right of veto over each part of the plan. Two of the activists livestreamed the attack and posted footage on social media, which the judge said was an effort to ‘glorify criminality and vigilantism.’
Supporters of the four cheered and banged on the public gallery during sentencing. Earlier, 72 protesters had been arrested outside the court for supporting Palestine Action, which has been proscribed as a terrorist organisation. Rajiv Menon KC, representing Head, argued against a finding of terrorist connection for the criminal damage offences, calling it ‘chilling, creeping authoritarianism that undermines the very fabric of our society.’
The sentences mark one of the longest jail terms handed down for activism linked to the Israel‑Gaza conflict, and raise fresh questions about the line between protest and terrorism.