Six individuals appeared in a British court on Monday, facing charges related to an alleged break-in and property damage at a defense company last year. The defendants’ appearance coincided with a demonstration of pro-Palestine supporters outside Woolwich Crown Court.
Demonstrators carrying Palestinian flags and banners gathered at the court’s entrance, chanting “Free Palestine” in support of the accused. The chants were reportedly audible within the courtroom.
According to court documents, the six defendants are accused of belonging to a group that committed “burglary, criminal damage, and violent disorder” at the premises of Elbit Systems, an Israeli-owned company located in Bristol, in August 2024.
Samuel Corner, Jordan Devlin, Charlotte Head, Leona Camu, Fatima Rajwani, and Zoe Rogers arrived at the court on Monday morning. Their trial is expected to last for ten weeks.
Corner also faces a separate charge of intentionally causing grievous bodily harm to a police officer during the incident.
The six defendants sat together in the dock, exchanging smiles with family and friends in the gallery. Some attendees wore Palestinian keffiyehs.
The indictment alleges that the defendants entered the Elbit Systems premises in August 2024 with the intention of causing unlawful damage. They are accused of carrying “offensive weapons, namely sledgehammers,” damaging property, and using or threatening unlawful violence while acting with others.
Elbit Systems describes itself as a “global defense technology company” with approximately 20,000 employees and billions of dollars in revenue. The company has faced ongoing protests from activists opposed to the war in Gaza. Protests have included sit-ins, roof climbs, window smashing, and the spraying of red paint on the building, all in protest against Elbit’s alleged involvement in supplying the Israeli military with drones used in Gaza.
