Palestine Action

Palestine Action is a pro-Palestinian organisation which disrupts the arms industry in the United Kingdom with direct action. Key targets have been British factories of Israeli weapons manufacturer Elbit Systems. In their campaigns, Palestine Action have used protest, occupation of premises, destruction of property, and vandalism, which sometimes resulted in its members being arrested.

Since 5 July 2025, it has been an offence under the UK's Terrorism Act 2000 to be a member of Palestine Action, fundraise for it or wear or display anything arousing reasonable suspicion of support, or even to express an opinion or belief supportive of Palestine Action which might encourage others to support it.

History

Palestine Action was established on 30 July 2020 when activists broke into and spray-painted the interior of Elbit Systems' UK headquarters in London. The organisation's co-founders are Huda Ammori, whose father is Palestinian, and Richard Barnard, a long-term left-wing activist.

In June 2025, the Home Office announced that it intended to designate the group as a proscribed terrorist organisation after the group broke into RAF Brize Norton, vandalising and damaging two Royal Air Force Airbus A330 MRTT refuelling planes by spraying paint into their engines. On 2 July, the House of Commons voted 385–26 to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation. The order was accepted by the House of Lords the following day and Palestine Action is proscribed from 5 July 2025. The High Court has a hearing on 21 July to consider an application for a judicial review to quash the proscription order after a hearing on 4 July declined to grant an interim relief order.

Since 5 July 2025, it has been an offence under the UK's Terrorism Act 2000 to be a member of Palestine Action, fundraise for it, wear or display items arousing reasonable suspicion of membership, or if someone invites support or even "expresses an opinion or belief supportive of" Palestine Action and "in doing so is reckless as to whether a person to whom the expression is directed will be encouraged to support" it. These offences carry a maximum penalty of up to 14 years in prison for membership or inviting support, and up to 6 months in prison or a fine for displaying supporting items.

Actions

Elbit

On 19 May 2021, during the 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis, four members of the group dressed in red boiler suits climbed onto the roof of an Elbit Systems-owned unmanned aerial vehicle (drone) factory in Meridian Business Park, Leicester. The occupation lasted six days, and a total of 10 arrests were made for conspiracy to commit criminal damage and aggravated trespass. The defendants were cleared after the trial judge instructed the jury to consider the common law defence of necessity and the statutory defence of protection of property under Section 5(2)(b) of the Criminal Damage Act 1971. The same year the group staged similar occupations of Elbit Systems sites in Bristol, Oldham in collaboration with Extinction Rebellion, and Tamworth in collaboration with Animal Rebellion.

In April 2024, Somerset County Hall, a Grade II-listed public building owned by Somerset Council, was splashed with red paint after a Palestine Action protest. The protest was related to the council's leasing of a building in the Aztec West business park to defence contractor Elbit Systems UK.

On 16 March 2025, Elbit's Aztec West site was targeted by four Palestine Action activists with, according to BBC News, a "cherry picker style vehicle and a hammer attached to a rope to smash second floor windows and douse he building withred paint". The four were arrested on the site, all being charged with conspiracy to damage property and two being charged with one count of assault by beating.

Subsidiaries

In April 2022, two Palestine Action protestors chained themselves to the gates of a factory of UAV Tactical Systems Ltd, a subsidiary of Elbit Systems, in Braunstone. Other activists gathered nearby with signs stating "Free Palestine". Three protestors were arrested. A spokesperson for the group said that "Direct action will not cease until all Elbit sites are closed."

Hydrafeed, a supplier of 'automation equipment' for CNC turning and milling applications, was attacked by Palestine Action activists in June 2023 accusing Hydrafeed of supplying Instro Precision Ltd, an Elbit Systems subsidiary. Hydrafeed denied the accusation and maintained they were falsely targeted, claiming "Hydrafeed would like to inform all of our customers and suppliers that we have absolutely no connection with the aforementioned company. We do not supply and never have supplied Elbit Systems with any of our products...This act of vandalism on Hydrafeed’s property and machines was completely unfounded." Later in the year Hydrafeed allegedly broke off all ties with Elbit Systems, reportedly sending an email to Palestine Action reading; "Hydrafeed has made it clear to Instro Precision that it is not prepared to provide any sales or services of its products to Instro Precision, its parent company Elbit Systems or any of Elbit Systems subsidiaries now or in the future."

Leonardo

In November 2023, Palestine Action activists spray painted messages "Free Gaza" and "Free Palestine" across weapons company Leonardo S.p.A.'s UK head office in Piccadilly, with the protestors claiming Leonardo had supplied Israel with fighter jets. Two men were arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated criminal damage, which was investigated as a hate crime.

In May 2024, Edinburgh Palestine Action activists targeted a Leonardo factory in Crewe Toll, spraying red paint over the factory and fighter-jet models, as well as claiming to have sabotaged 'internet cables', with a spokesperson for the group saying, "In the early hours of Tuesday 28th May 024 a group opened the box of cables, cut the internet wires, sprayed expanding foam inside the box and spray painted 'Stop Arming Israel' on the lid.". The action was carried out, against Leonardo, according to PA Scotland, for "continuing to arm the Israeli military with weapons". In January of the same year several activists occupied the roof of the same factory.

University protests

In March 2024, Palestine Action claimed responsibility for spray painting a historic portrait of politician Arthur Balfour at Trinity College, Cambridge. Palestine Action said the action was taken because of the 1917 Balfour Declaration. Three months later, in June 2024, Cambridge students, in collaboration with Palestine Action, sprayed the historic Senate House red in the University of Cambridge. In March 2025, members of Palestine Action threw red paint on the "Old Schools" building in the University of Cambridge, citing further pressure for the University to divest from companies selling arms to the Israeli military.

In November 2024, Palestine Action members broke a glass cabinet in the University of Manchester's Chemistry Building on the Oxford Road campus, and stole two busts of Chaim Weizmann, the first president of Israel and a former teacher at the university. Palestine Action said it had "abducted" the busts to mark the anniversary of the Balfour Declaration in 1917. one individual has been arrested for the action.

Other protests

On 10 June 2021, three protestors from the group "stormed, scaled and occupied" an APPH drone factory in Runcorn. Activists daubed red paint on the exterior, dismantled drone and aircraft machinery and destroyed windows. The next day all three were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and aggravated trespass.

On 14 June 2021, the fourth anniversary of the Grenfell Tower fire, a similar occupation protest was staged at an Arconic factory in Kitts Green, Birmingham by three protestors. Arconic provided the cladding that allowed the rapid spread of fire across Grenfell Tower, and according to Palestine Action provide "materials for Israel's fighter jets". The occupation ended when two activists were arrested on the roof of the building two days later. One activist was remanded in prison and immediately went on hunger strike. The activist said they would end their strike if any one of four conditions were met: release of Palestine Action protestors; the eviction of Elbit from its London headquarters by property firm LaSalle Investment Management; the closure of all Elbit Systems' British operations or; release by the government of all correspondence and documents relating to its dealings with Elbit and its subsidiaries.

In January 2024, it was alleged that activists from Palestine Action were intending to target the London Stock Exchange by damaging the building and preventing trade. Six people were arrested over the suspected disruption plot. The same month, Palestine Action vandalised an office of the logistics company Kuehne + Nagel in Milton Keynes by smashing windows and spraying the building with paint. Palestine Action said the action was taken because "in the past 100 days over 25,000 Palestinians were killed". Palestine Action said they targeted the company because it was assisting the delivery of weapons to Israel.

In September 2024, the London headquarters of consultancy firm APCO Worldwide was targeted by Palestine Action over its representation of the UK interests of Elbit Systems. Activists daubed the façade of the office building with red paint using repurposed fire extinguishers, blocked the entrance and locked the doors with a bike lock.

In October 2024, Palestine Action targeted a factory in Bromborough, Wirral Peninsula, a producer of F-35 fighter plane components owned by Teledyne CML Composites. The action consisted of breaking through the roof and spraying red paint into cleanrooms, with a manager for Teledyne allegedly claiming "damage to the clean rooms could halt production for up to 12 months."

RAF Brize Norton break-in

In June 2025, members of Palestine Action gained access to RAF Brize Norton on electric scooters and used "repurposed fire extinguishers" to spray red paint into the engines of two Royal Air Force Airbus A330 MRTT refuelling planes. Brize Norton is used for flights to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus from where the RAF has conducted reconnaissance flights over the Gaza Strip. Palestine Action said "Despite publicly condemning the Israeli government, Britain continues to send military cargo, fly spy planes over Gaza and refuel US and Israeli fighter jets". The Ministry of Defence said in a statement that the aircraft targeted by Palestine Action had not refuelled or supported Israeli air force jets. Palestine Action's statement is also disputed by a 'source familiar with RAF refuelling operations', quoted in an article for the UK Defence Journal; the article stated that the refuelling technology between the RAF and Israeli jets is 'physically incompatible' and thus refuelling Israeli jets from British tankers is impossible, and went on to say that the current role of the Airbus A330 MRTT is to support ongoing British operations such as Operation Shader and supporting Quick Reaction Alert aircraft.

Thames Valley Police said it was working with Ministry of Defence Police "to arrest the perpetrators". The police investigation led to 4 people being arrested on terror offences, in relation to the incident at RAF Brize Norton.

Proscription

Following the security breach at RAF Brize Norton, the government announced that security arrangements would be reviewed at the base. It was also reported that the government was considering making Palestine Action a proscribed terrorist organisation. Following a written statement to the UK Parliament on 23 June, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced that a proscription order, under the Terrorism Act 2000, would be put before parliament, which would seek to ban Palestine Action, cited as a terror organisation, following parliamentary approval.

The decision to seek a proscription order has been subject to debate in the UK. In response to the Home Secretary's statement before parliament, lawyers for Palestine Action called the proposal "unlawful, dangerous and ill thought out". Similarly, human rights groups Amnesty International and Liberty expressed concern regarding the precedent and propriety of the order.

In June 2025, the UK government announced its intent to ban the group on anti-terrorism grounds after the RAF Brize Norton base break-in and subsequent plane vandalism. On 2 July 2025 the House of Commons voted by 385 votes to 26 to add Palestine Action to the list of terrorist groups proscribed under the Terrorism Act. In the same vote, Palestine Action was grouped together with neo-Nazi groups Maniacs Murder Cult and Russian Imperial Movement. The decision was criticised by Amnesty International as "unprecedented legal overreach", as well as by experts from the United Nations, who argued that "acts intending to damage property, but are not intended to kill or injure people" should not be labelled as terrorism, along with noting the move could have a "chilling effect" on political protest and "advocacy generally". Palestine Action challenged the designation in the High Court on 4 July 2025, but had their call for a temporary block denied by a judge. The group was officially proscribed as a terrorist organisation from 5 July 2025.

A new direct action protest group emerged in response to the decision to proscribe Palestine Action, calling itself "Yvette Cooper" after the home secretary responsible for deciding to proscribe Palestine Action. It targeted the Birmingham firm, Time Logistics, which it said transports weapons for Elbit Systems, and investment firm BNY Mellon, which it said holds shares in Elbit Systems.

On 5 July 2025, 29 people were arrested during a demonstration in London supporting the now-proscribed group. One of those arrested was Rev Sue Parfitt, an 83-year-old retired priest. As of 7 July 2025, those arrested had been released on bail.

Legal actions

In May 2024, seven Palestine Action activists who broke into a Bristol HQ of Elbit Systems, an international defence technology firm, to destroy equipment in 2022 were given suspended prison sentences and ordered to pay more than £5,000 in compensation. The protesters sprayed the messages "Free Palestine" and "Shut Elbit Down" on walls and windows, accusing Elbit Systems of supplying arms to Israel.

In August 2024, five Palestine Action activists were found guilty for the 2022 protest action against Thales UK in Govan, Glasgow, with four of the defendants receiving 12-month custodial sentences and the fifth receiving 14 months.

Filton 18

An initial ten people were raided and arrested by counter-terror forces under the Terrorism Act on 19 November 2024 in relation to an August action against the Elbit Systems HQ in Bristol, in addition to those previously arrested on the scene who were charged for non-terror related crimes. In total, 18 activists were held in custody, dubbed the Filton 18. Tom Southerden of Amnesty International said the terrorism powers were misused to circumvent normal legal protections, resulting in excessively long pre-charge detention. Documents released under Freedom of Information suggest that the UK government shared contact details of counter-terrorism police and prosecutors with the Israeli embassy during the investigation into the incident.

Four members of PA were released on bail on 13 November 2024 after being arrested on suspicion of a public order offence for a lock-on protest to block entry to two Elbit Systems buildings in the Aztec West business park.

Brize Norton damage

On 3 July 2025 four Palestine Action members - Amy Gardiner-Gibson, Jony Cink, Daniel Jeronymides-Norie and Lewie Chiaramello - were charged under the Terrorism Act with conspiracy to enter a prohibited place knowingly for a purpose prejudicial to the safety or interests of the United Kingdom, and conspiracy to commit criminal damage. All offences relate to the 20 June 2025 attack on RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, which damaged two RAF tankers.

Following their break-in into RAF Brize Norton, the Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, introduced legislation in Parliament to proscribe Palestine Action under the Terrorism Act 2000, making membership illegal.

Responses to Palestine Action

Freedom of Information (FOI) documents obtained by Palestine Action showed that Israeli embassy officials asked the UK Attorney General's Office (AGO) to intervene in cases involving the prosecution of UK protesters. Redactions were made to the FOI documents because disclosure "would be likely to prejudice the UK's relations with Israel". In his response to the embassy officials, the director general of the AGO mentioned the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, which placed restrictions on protests, and a recent court case which determined that protesters accused of "significant" criminal damage could not use the protection of human rights as a defence.

In May 2024, it was reported by BBC News that an upcoming report from the government's adviser on political violence Lord Walney would recommend proscribing "extreme protest groups", including Palestine Action although under a new category distinct from proscribed terrorist organisations. Possible sanctions placed on the group could restrict its ability to fundraise and its right to assembly.

Documents obtained by Palestine Action through FOI gave details of government meetings to "reassure" Elbit Systems about Palestine Action's campaign against it. Palestine Action said that the documents demonstrate that the Home Office tried to pressure police and prosecutors to crack down on activists targeting Elbit Systems.

See also

*Gaza war protests in the United Kingdom
* R v Saibene
* EDO MBM Technology Ltd v Campaign to Smash EDO
* Unity of Fields

References

External links

* {{Official website, https://www.palestineaction.org/

Direct action
Organizations involved in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict
Palestinian solidarity movement in the United Kingdom
2020 establishments in the United Kingdom
Political organizations established in 2020
Organisations designated as terrorist by the United Kingdom