A victory for us to celebrate today. We publish below the official press release from the campaign and a discussion of the political consequences of the verdict.

Press release from the Filton 24 campaign

Verdicts: Not guilty for all defendants on aggravated burglary, not guilty for Zoe Rogers, Jordan Devlin, and Fatema Zainab Rajwani of Violent Disorder. All other charges resulted in no verdicts, so no convictions for any defendants of any offence.

On Wednesday, 4th February, after 8 days of deliberation time, the jury acquitted Charlotte Head, Samuel Corner, Ellie (Leona) Kamio, Fatema Zainab Rajwani, Zoe Rogers, and Jordan Devlin of the most serious charge, aggravated burglary. The jury did not convict Charlotte Head, Samuel Corner, and Ellie Kamio of Violent Disorder and acquitted Fatema Zainab Rajwani, Zoe Rogers, and Jordan Devlin of the same charge.

The jury also “refused to convict” any of the defendants of criminal damage, despite five of them admitting in court to destroying Israeli weapons and equipment belonging to Israel’s biggest weapons firm, Elbit Systems.

Samuel Corner was also not convicted of Grievous Bodily Harm with Intent for striking a police officer, or any lower offence available to the jury to convict on. The court heard how moments before the incident, Samuel was blinded by PAVA spray and reacted in the moment as he heard Ellie Kamio screaming after she had been tasered twice (the second time by accident).

In total, none of the defendants was convicted of a single offence.

The defendants were acquitted, or not convicted, of all offences levelled against them, including violent offences. Campaigners say this result is a “monumental victory” that has “vindicated” the defendants, who were smeared by government ministers as “violent criminals”.

Each of the defendants was arrested by counter-terrorism police and held on remand for 17 months before trial following the break-in at Elbit Systems’ Filton site. Once inside, they destroyed Israeli quadcopter drones, which have been used frequently to massacre Palestinians in Gaza.

Aggravated burglary was by far the most serious charge faced by each of the defendants, carrying a maximum sentence of life in prison. The not guilty verdicts of aggravated burglary and failure to convict any of violent disorder means the jury did not accept the prosecution case that the defendants entered the Elbit weapons factory with the intention of using the items they carried as weapons, or threatened/used unlawful violence against Elbit’s security guards.

Rather, it appears the jury agreed with the defence argument, that the defendants’ sole intention was to use the items, including sledgehammers, as tools to disarm Israeli weapons to “prevent violence”.

Campaigners say the refusal to convict the defendants of criminal damage despite evidence demonstrating damage of Israeli weapons, shows that “the jury understood that it is not those who destroy Israeli weapons which are guilty, rather the guilty party is the one that it deploys such weapons to commit genocide in Gaza.”

What are the political implications of this victory?

This Labour government has maintained from the beginning that the actions of the Filton 24 was akin to domestic terrorism. Subsequent to the first arrests they defined Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation. Even people holding signs saying I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action have been criminalised and risk imprisonment. Over 2000 people have been arrested for holding such signs. Even some police leaders have questioned Labour’s policy on it. 

Very few Labour MPs have opposed this anti-democratic offensive – far fewer than those who opposed the government attacks on disabled people. Both Yvette Cooper and Shaban Mohammed as Home Secretaries have promoted this policy.  Part of their motivation was that such a tough line would play well with voters attracted by Reform.

The Jury decision has shown that the average citizen has not bought Labour’s arguments. They clearly make a distinction between non-violent direct action and terrorist groups like ISIS or Al Qaeda. Jurors responded positively to the defence barrister’s closing speech where he explained how the defendants were acting in a similar way to the Suffragettes who used non-violent direct action to win the right to vote.

Labour’s smear campaign that some of the defendants were violent during the incursion into the Elbit factor was also exposed during the trial.  The security guards were proved to be very heavy handed and the report about Palestine activists using sledge hammers to cause injury was far from reality.

Part of the original law passed by the Blair government which equated terrorism with damage to property has also been utterly repudiated by the jurors.

Defend our Juries

No wonder David Lammy wants to limit jury trials.  Juries mostly have common sense and do not always swallow government propaganda. This is not the first time that juries have freed non-violent direct action protestors.  We must campaign against Lammy’s plans and call on all Labour MPs to vote it down

Another factor in convincing the jurors to not convict must be the huge impact of the Palestine solidarity movement.  True, jurors are only supposed to focus on what is presented in court but there is no Chinese wall between the court and the outside world. 

The political and cultural reach of the movement has meant even the average not very politicised citizen will be aware that something terrible is being perpetrated by Israel and the IDF.  Once again when people say what is the point of those 34 national demonstrations and all the local actions we can just say, look at the Elbit trial.

The attack on our freedoms is gathering pace.  These defendants were held in prison without bail for far longer that the time set down as a statutory target – many were held up to 2 years.  Innocent people have had their lives taken away for nearly 2 years due to the draconian policies of a Labour government. You never get that time back. We should salute the bravery and courage of these comrades who were dedicated enough to sacrifice that time.

We must hope that this non-conviction will influence the judge involved in deciding on the appeal against the proscribing of Palestine action as a terrorist organisation.

Whatever happens Labour is already paying a price for its repressive policies.  It is not only losing votes in Gorton and Denton because of the continuing cost of living crisis but also because many people are shocked and alarmed at the attack on our hard won freedoms.

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