Six individuals accused of breaking into the UK site of Israeli defense firm Elbit Systems appeared in court on Monday, facing charges of aggravated burglary, criminal damage, and violent disorder, AFP reported.
The incident occurred on August 6, 2024, in Bristol, where the accused allegedly entered the premises armed with sledgehammers and caused over £1 million in damage.
According to court documents, they acted “with intent to do unlawful damage” and “used or threatened unlawful violence” while present with others.
The defendants - identified as Samuel Corner, Jordan Devlin, Charlotte Head, Leona Kamio, Fatema Zainab Rajwani, and Zoe Rogers - arrived at Woolwich Crown Court shortly after 11:00 a.m. The trial is expected to last ten weeks. Corner faces an additional charge of grievous bodily harm with intent against a police officer during the incident.
Inside the courtroom, the six sat in a line, exchanging glances and waves with supporters in the public gallery, some of whom wore keffiyehs. Outside, around two dozen protesters gathered with Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) flags and banners, chanting “Free Palestine,” with their voices audible inside the courtroom.
Elbit Systems, headquartered in Israel, is a global defense technology company employing approximately 20,000 people and generating $2 billion in annual revenue, according to its official website.
The firm has been targeted by anti-Israel activists in other countries as well. In April, a group of teenagers was convicted by a Swedish court in connection with a shooting incident in October 2024 outside the Gothenburg office of Elbit Systems.
In September, anti-Israel activists targeted the Elbit booth at the 2025 International Defense Industry Exhibition in the city of Kielce in Poland.
Footage posted to X showed the activists pouring fake blood and releasing a foul-smelling substance to protest the use of weapons produced by Elbit in Gaza and Judea and Samaria. The activists were also seen hoisting a PLO flag.
Days later, anti-Israel activists affiliated with the group "Palestine Action" broke into Elbit’s offices in the city of Ulm, Germany, causing significant damage to equipment, computers, and office property.