Trial Begins for First Six of the Filton 24 After Over a Year on Remand for Opposing UK Complicity in Gaza Genocide

London — The first six defendants in the Filton 24 case appear today at Woolwich Crown Court after being held for more than a year on remand for an action targeting Elbit Systems - the Israeli weapons manufacturer whose technology has played a central role in the devastation of Gaza.

The group, all linked to Palestine Action, is accused of entering Elbit’s newly built Bristol facility in August 2024, exposing what was publicly advertised as a mere “R&D site” but in reality housed weapons and drone components custom-made for Israel’s military assault. Their action revealed equipment tied to some of the most disturbing tools deployed in Gaza, including drone systems (quadcopters) used to lure, injure, and kill civilians. This is the first time entire weapons systems for foreign use have been found on British soil. For this, the state has pursued them as though they were a national security threat rather than individuals acting out of a clear moral imperative to prevent further bloodshed.

Despite no terrorism charges ever being filed, the Filton 24 have been subjected to counter-terrorism powers from day one - detained, denied bail, and held for prolonged periods without meaningful communication. UN experts have condemned the UK’s behaviour as potentially amounting to “enforced disappearance” and criticised the “unjustified” use of counter-terror measures against activists attempting to halt the flow of weapons into a genocide. Meanwhile, correspondence shows sustained pressure from Israeli officials urging the UK government to crack down on anti-weapons direct action.

This trial marks the first attempt in Britain to treat political property damage as equivalent to terrorism - an unprecedented and dangerous expansion of state power. Under the current Labour government, many defendants will have spent nearly two years behind bars before even standing trial.

The stakes extend far beyond these six individuals. The Filton 24 case is a testbed for using counter-terror legislation to shield the UK-Israel arms pipeline from scrutiny and resistance. It comes at a moment when thousands across Britain have faced arrest merely for opposing the proscription of Palestine Action, a move widely viewed as politically motivated and designed to silence dissent.

Several Filton-related prisoners are now entering their third week of an open-ended hunger strike, protesting the censorship, indefinite remand, and systemic barriers preventing them from receiving a fair trial - including the state’s refusal to disclose key communications with arms manufacturers.

As proceedings begin today at Woolwich, the Filton 24 stand not only as defendants but as a stark reminder of how far the state is prepared to go to protect weapons manufacturers complicit in mass atrocity.

Zoe Rogers, one of the defendants, said ahead of her trial:

"We are simply collateral damage in the government's single minded determination to put its business interest and its relationship with Israel first, as it partners in the slaughter of Palestinians".

Naila Ahmed, CAGE International’s Head of Campaigns, said:

“The treatment of the Filton 24 demonstrates a brazen attempt to criminalise dissent, and to shield Elbit Systems - an Israeli company whose weapons are directly responsible for the maiming and killing of civilians in Gaza, that operates freely on British soil. Today marks the start of trial for the first six, the first of four trials that will take place over two years. Today is the first opportunity to put Elbit in the dock and hold them to account in open court.  These activists took direct action to stop a genocide when the government failed to. The British state has continuously demonstrated its commitment to the zionist entity by protecting a foreign weapons manufacturer while criminalising and imprisoning people of conscience for over a year without trial. We call on the courts to refuse this unprecedented escalation, and for the state to abolish all terror laws that suspend the rule of law and evade accountability”.

[ENDS]

‍