Jury sees film of confrontations during Elbit raid

A security guard was told "this place is not going to exist tomorrow" by a Palestine Action activist during a raid at the UK site of an Israel-based defence firm, a jury has heard.

Charlotte Head, 29, Samuel Corner, 23, Leona Kamio, 30, Fatema Rajwani, 21, Zoe Rogers, 22, and Jordan Devlin, 31, are all charged with criminal damage after the incident at the Elbit Systems site near Bristol on 6 August, 2024.

At Woolwich Crown Court earlier, the jury was shown footage of a confrontation which involved Devlin, who could be heard shouting "you're not going to have a job tomorrow so don't try to protect it".

The defendants deny all the charges against them.

The footage played to the jury on Thursday showed clashes between the defendants and three security guards – Nigel Shaw, Patrick Luke and Angelo Volante.

Clips, from a body-worn camera strapped to the chest of Volante, appeared to show him wrestling a sledgehammer out of Rogers's hands.

A confrontation between Mr Shaw, Kamio, Head and Corner elsewhere in the warehouse was also shown, which involved the activists - with sledgehammers and a flare - shouting "get out" and swearing.

Devlin, who wore a keffiyeh tied around his waist in the footage, could also be heard shouting "it's not worth your job", and "this place is not going to exist tomorrow".

Prosecutor Deanna Heer KC told the jury security guard Shaw, who could be seen pointing an umbrella at the defendants, told them "I feel a little bit concussed", to which Kamio replied: "You're literally bleeding."

Corner, who faces a further count of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Police Sergeant Kate Evans, could be heard swearing, adding: "You've only got an umbrella."

Footage played to the jury recorded on Mr Luke's body-worn device appeared to show him telling the defendants they were "going to be doing criminal damage".

Heer told the court footage showed Kamio using her sledgehammer to "smash up items" inside the warehouse before she picked up a fire extinguisher and was told police were on their way.

The trial continues.

Follow BBC Bristol on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.