Palestine Action defendants wanted to 'destroy as many weapons as possible', court told

Palestine Action defendants facing charges in connection with a raid on an Israeli-owned factory wanted to “destroy as many weapons as possible” and “shut the site down”, an English court heard on Wednesday.

Defendants Charlotte Head, 29, Jordan Devlin, 31, Fatema Rajwani, 21, Zoe Rogers, 22, Samuel Corner, 23, and Leona Kamio, 30, face charges of criminal damage in connection with a break-in to a factory owned by Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems near Bristol in August 2024.

Corner additionally faces a charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent for allegedly striking a police officer with a sledgehammer.

When cross-examined by lead defence counsel Rajiv Menon KC in London's Woolwich Crown Court on Tuesday, Head said that she went into the factory with the intention to “destroy as many weapons as possible and shut the site down”.

Jurors were shown photographs of weapons and military equipment damaged in the raid.