107 arrested at Palestine Action protest outside court as four activists jailed over raid
More than one hundred people have been arrested for supporting proscribed terror group Palestine Action at a demonstration outside Woolwich Crown Court where four people have been jailed for a raid on an Israel-based defence firm’s UK factory, the Metropolitan Police said.
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The raid by Charlotte Head, 23, Samuel Corner, 30, Leona Kamio, 30, and Fatema Rajwani, 21, left one police officer with a fractured spine.
The group, travelling in an old prison van, crashed into the Elbit Systems site near Bristol during the early hours of August 6, 2024.
The four defendants – who claimed the action was necessary to protect Palestinians – were convicted at Woolwich Crown Court last week of criminal damage, while Corner was found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm.
Palestine Action was banned as a terrorist organisation under a Government proscription order in July last year.
But the controversial move was declared unlawful by the High Court in February this year.
Police vans arrived outside the court to ferry demonstrators away after the first person was arrested at about 1.20pm.
As each protester was carried away with one officer holding each limb, crowds applauded while others berated the officers.
Some of the chants included “you’re complicit in genocide” and “Met police, shame, shame, all the crimes in your name”.
In an earlier statement, the Metropolitan Police said: “A number of arrests have been made during a protest in south east London.
“Seventy-two people have been arrested for supporting a proscribed terrorist organisation – Palestine Action – at a demonstration outside Woolwich Crown Court.
“All are currently in police custody.”