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UK Arrests Mount as ‘Lift the Ban’ Protests Begin and Elbit Break-In Trial Opens

Police are enforcing terrorism laws that criminalize public support for the proscribed group, resulting in mass detentions at coordinated sit-ins.

Overview

  • Nottinghamshire Police arrested 28 people at a silent protest, with further arrests reported in Newcastle (12), Oxford (11) and Cardiff (9), while Edinburgh’s event concluded without arrests and Truro saw detentions.
  • Forces warned that displaying placards indicating support for Palestine Action is an offence under the Terrorism Act 2000, and evidence‑gathering teams were deployed despite demonstrations remaining peaceful.
  • At Woolwich Crown Court, prosecutors opened the case against six defendants over the August 2024 Elbit Systems break‑in near Bristol, alleging a meticulously planned operation using sledgehammers and paint‑filled extinguishers.
  • Prosecutors say one defendant struck Police Sergeant Kate Evans with a sledgehammer, causing a fractured lumbar spine; all six deny aggravated burglary, criminal damage and violent disorder, and the trial is expected to run 8–10 weeks.
  • The ban on Palestine Action, imposed in July after reported £7m damage to RAF Brize Norton aircraft, is the subject of an active judicial review led by co‑founder Huda Ammori, as a nationwide campaign by Defend Our Juries spans 18 locations with more than 2,000 arrests and about 170 charges to date.