Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 19
Jury Discharged in Trial of 8 Palestine Action Activists After 37 Hours of Deliberations
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 19

Jury Discharged in Trial of 8 Palestine Action Activists After 37 Hours of Deliberations

3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 19

Summary

  • Judge Patrick Field discharged the jury in the Old Bailey trial of eight Palestine Action activists after 37 hours of deliberations without a verdict.
  • The defendants were accused of helping organise the 6 August 2024 raid on Elbit Systems UK in Filton near Bristol, facing criminal damage charges and, except for one acquitted earlier, violent disorder counts.
  • Prosecutors said none of the eight entered the site but instead helped plan the action through reconnaissance, equipment lists, tool and weapon purchases, and coordination of the break-in and filming.
  • The Crown Prosecution Service must now decide whether to seek a retrial, with a 14 September hearing set to determine the case's next steps.

Insights

Will the UK pursue controversial terror-linked retrials for Palestine Action activists after a jury deadlock over the 2024 Elbit Systems raid?
Why did an Old Bailey jury fail to convict activists accused of planning a £1m raid on an Israeli-linked defense firm?
How did defense claims of minor roles derail the high-profile trial of eight activists accused of orchestrating a major factory raid?