Palestine Action defendants acquitted of aggravated burglary over arms factory raid

A UK court has found six Palestine Action activists not guilty of aggravated burglary following a break-in at an Israeli-owned arms factory. The defendants raided an Elbit Systems plant near Bristol in August 2024, arguing their intent was to damage property to prevent weapons from being used against Palestinians, not to injure people. After more than 36 hours of deliberation, the jury acquitted them of the most serious charge, while being hung on other charges like criminal damage and violent disorder. Five of the six defendants, who had been held on remand for 18 months, were granted bail following the verdict. The Crown Prosecution Service will decide within a week whether to seek retrials on the undecided charges.