In a major blow to the UK government's campaign to criminalize Palestine Action, a British jury has acquitted six activists of all charges related to a direct action against the Israeli weapons manufacturer Elbit Systems. The ruling, delivered by the jury at Woolwich Crown Court, marks a striking disconnect between official efforts to portray the group as violent extremists and public perception of their cause.
The six defendants are part of what has now become known among activists as the Filton 24, a group of Palestine Action activists who were arrested and charged in connection with direct actions against Elbit Systems, the Israeli weapons manufacturer operating multiple sites across the UK.
The defendants were acquitted of aggravated burglary, the most serious charge brought against them, which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment under UK law. The jury also refused to convict or fully acquitted the group on charges of violent disorder and criminal damage, despite five of the activists openly admitting to damaging Israeli weapons and equipment linked to Elbit Systems.
The charges were linked to an August 6 move during which the activists entered the site operated by Elbit Systems. The Crown Prosecution Service had pursued the case under one of the most serious criminal offence categories under English law. However, the jury determined that the prosecution failed to prove the necessary legal elements for a conviction.
The incident occurred prior to the UK government’s formal designation of Palestine Action as a proscribed group. Prosecutors acknowledged that the ban did not apply retroactively to the case.
Last year, the British government designated Palestine Action as a banned organization, a move that sparked widespread criticism from civil society and human rights organizations. Critics argued that the proscription represented an attempt to suppress pro-Palestinian activism in the UK under the guise of counterterrorism.
Amnesty International UK also voiced concern over the UK government’s decision to criminalize Palestine Action, commenting on the acquittal of the activists:
Following the group's proscription, British police arrested hundreds of demonstrators at rallies held in support of Palestine across several cities. Arrests were made under allegations of supporting a banned group or displaying its symbols and slogans.
The court’s decision to acquit the six activists serves as a powerful rebuke to political efforts aimed at stifling pro-Palestinian _expression_, particularly efforts materially directed against companies tied to the Israeli regime’s military infrastructure.
Amid facing disproportionate force and brutality from the state, pro-Palestine activists are consistently portrayed as violent aggressors in an effort to justify their criminalization.
During the trial, footage emerged that further undermined the prosecution’s claim of violent intent.
Journalist Asa Winstanley shared body-cam footage shown to the jury, capturing a security guard employed by Elbit Systems using a sledgehammer to attack two unarmed activists:
Among the Filton 24 is Teuta Hoxha, a 29-year-old activist who has not yet gone on trial but became known within activist spaces as she endured a 63-day hunger strike while held on remand. Hoxha faces charges of alleged aggravated burglary and criminal damage in connection to direct action targeting Elbit Systems, a weapons company linked to the Israeli regime.
Held without trial for over a year, she began her hunger strike with other Palestine Actionists to demand immediate bail, a fair legal process, and the reversal of the UK government’s proscription of Palestine Action as a “terrorist” organization.
Her family warned publicly that she was close to death, while legal advocates raised urgent concerns over the denial of critical medical treatment. The campaign Prisoners for Palestine accused prison authorities of deliberate negligence, stating that Hoxha had been refused the hospital care required to prevent refeeding syndrome, a potentially fatal condition that can occur when nutrition is reintroduced too quickly after prolonged starvation.
Although Hoxha has since paused her hunger strike, she remains incarcerated. One other defendant, Samuel Corner, has also not yet been granted bail or released.
However, the acquittal of the first six Palestine Action activists and the release of five after more than 500 days behind bars have sent a powerful message: despite government attempts to criminalize the movement, a jury of ordinary people refused to convict them.
The verdict comes at a time when jury trials themselves are under political threat in the UK. Just hours after the acquittals, The Telegraph reported that the government is pushing to replace jury trials in certain cases with judge-only or magistrate-led hearings, citing an urgent need to reduce the Crown Court backlog.
The proposals, supported by Justice Secretary David Lammy and Prime Minister Keir Starmer, have sparked opposition from within the Labour Party, with critics warning they risk undermining fundamental legal protections.
For many observers, the Palestine Action trial illustrates exactly why jury trials matter: despite immense political pressure and the threat of life sentences, a randomly selected jury refused to criminalize direct action against a weapons manufacturer tied to the Israeli regime.