Activists 'armed with kebab skewers' in Elbit raid, tell me about this news today

At Woolwich Crown Court in London, prosecutors opened a trial involving five Palestine Action activists charged with criminal damage and violent disorder. The charges stem from an early-morning raid on August 6, 2024, targeting a facility owned by the Israeli defense contractor Elbit Systems in Filton, near Bristol.

The Jewish Chronicle

The key details presented in court include:

• The Allegations: Prosecutors told jurors that the defendants formed a “black team” dressed in black jumpsuits, whose objective was to confront and overwhelm on-site security guards. This was meant to allow a second “red team” in red jumpsuits to breach the facility and destroy equipment.

  The Jewish Chronicle

• The Weapons and Injuries: The court heard allegations that activists were armed with items including “large metal kebab skewers,” sledgehammers, and other tools. Prosecutors stated that a security guard suffered a 4-centimeter laceration to the head during the clash.

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• The Defendants: The five individuals currently on trial are Qesser Zuhrah, Zahra Farooque, Kamran Ahmed, Heba Muraisi, and Liam Mullany.

  The Jewish Chronicle

• Broader Context: The case is part of a series of prosecutions linked to direct actions by Palestine Action aimed at disrupting Elbit Systems’ UK operations and supply chain. Earlier trials involving other participants from the same August 2024 Filton facility raid resulted in several convictions and prison sentences for criminal damage.

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