Police Officer Attacked with Sledgehammer During Raid on Defence Firm by Palestine Action Activists

The group had driven a modified prison van through the facility’s fence

Police Officer Attacked with Sledgehammer During Raid on Defence Firm by Palestine Action Activists

A police officer was brutally attacked with a sledgehammer as seven activists from the protest group Palestine Action stormed a defence technology firm in a repurposed prison van, a court has heard. The group targeted Elbit Systems UK, a company based near Bristol, in the early hours of 6 August, causing extensive damage to the site.

The activists, including Samuel Corner, 22, Hannah Davidson, 51, Charlotte Head, 28, Leona Kamio, 28, Fatema Rajwani, 20, Zoe Rogers, 20, and Jordan Devlin, 30, appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court today, facing multiple charges, including criminal damage, aggravated burglary, and violent disorder. Corner faces additional charges of grievous bodily harm (GBH) for his alleged attack on Police Sergeant Kate Evans, who sustained serious spinal injuries.

The court was told that the raid was a well-coordinated effort, with two distinct teams of activists. One group, dressed in red boiler suits, used sledgehammers and other tools to smash their way into the building, while a second group, clad in black, aggressively confronted security staff, armed with axes, whips, and fireworks.