In a significant legal outcome, the youngest of six Palestine Action activists has declared that recent jury verdicts serve as a vindication for their cause. This follows their acquittal on charges of aggravated burglary connected to a break-in at an Israeli defence firm's facility in the UK.
Acquittal and Release After Lengthy Incarceration
Fatema Rajwani, a 21-year-old film and media studies student, was released on bail last Wednesday after spending 18 months in jail. She was cleared by a jury at Woolwich Crown Court not only of aggravated burglary but also of violent disorder related to the raid on the Elbit Systems factory in Filton, near Bristol, which occurred on 6 August 2024. Rajwani, who turned 20 the day before the action, directly addressed the jurors, stating, "I had damaged drones, which is what I went in to do." She further elaborated in court, commenting on video footage, "That is me dismantling a quadcopter drone with a crowbar."
Reflections on the Jury's Decision
Speaking to the media, Rajwani expressed that the verdicts reflect public sentiment. She remarked, "The verdicts are a reflection of the reality that the first chance that the public had to decide what happened to us, they vindicated us. It is plain to see that the British public do not want their citizens to be scapegoated for this Labour government's political aims, they do not want to be criminalised for supporting a people's inalienable right to freedom, to dignity, and to self-determination." She emphasised that the jury's not-guilty finding on aggravated burglary was based on a full review of evidence, contrasting it with what she described as edited footage used by critics.
Legal Context and Prosecution Claims
The prosecution had argued that security guards were assaulted and that defendants were armed with sledgehammers intended for threatening or damaging individuals. Among the co-defendants, Samuel Corner, 23, faced allegations of inflicting grievous bodily harm on a police sergeant, though the jury could not reach a verdict on this charge. The defence countered that any violence was unplanned, security guards used excessive force, and missing CCTV footage obscured the complete picture of events.
Rajwani asserted, "Aggravated burglary is a charge based on the intention to commit harm to another and when we entered that factory, it was to do all that we could to stop extreme harm and violence continuing at the hands of the Israeli regime and their British accomplices. On seeing all the evidence in the case it was clear to them [the jurors] that our only intention was to dismantle weapons being used in a genocide."
Ongoing Legal Proceedings and Personal Impact
While none of the six defendants were convicted, the jury failed to reach verdicts on charges of criminal damage for all defendants and violent disorder for three co-defendants, along with Corner's GBH charge. The Crown Prosecution Service announced on Saturday that it will seek a retrial, a prospect Rajwani described as "difficult" but less daunting than her past experiences.
She shared the profound trauma of her incarceration, saying, "The last 18 months have been traumatic. I am still living the nightmare in parts, I can't hear a police siren without being transported back to the terrorism suite, I can't hear keys jangling without being terrified I'll be locked up. I am still scared of being yelled at for hugging my mother for too long."
Embracing Freedom After Release
For now, Rajwani is focusing on enjoying her newfound freedom. She recounted, "I've been doing all the things I haven't been able to since I was incarcerated, eating real food, using metal cutlery, eating on ceramic plates, taking the bus and hugging the people I love for more than the prison allocated five-second embrace." She added, "I opened the front door to my house, with my own key. We got home that first night and my uncle had brought us all a big bag of takeout and we had chicken jalfrezi and crispy chicken, real spicy food. Aside from that, I'm just enjoying the fresh air and the ability to walk in a straight line, just because of how much our movement was analysed, punished and restricted within prison walls."
