Palestine Action vandals sentenced to five years in prison

Five activists from the controversial group Palestine Action were sentenced to a total of five years and two months in prison after causing over one million pounds' worth of damage to the Thales UK weapons factory in Scotland.

The prison sentences were welcomed in Parliament.

Lord Walney, the government’s adviser on political violence and unrest, told the JC: “Hopefully these prison sentences for criminal damage and intimidation of the working population will have a similar deterrent effect to those recently imposed on rioters.

“Activists who consider breaking the law to achieve their goals must be aware that doing so will have serious consequences.”

New Labour MP for North Durham Luke Akehurst said: “I welcome the court's imposition of an appropriate custodial sentence which will hopefully deter extremists from such vandalism in the future. Everyone has the right to peaceful protest but not to violence which causes over a million pounds' worth of damage to a company vital to national security and puts its employees at risk.”

Pro-Palestinian activists Stuart Bretherton (25), Eva Simmons (25), Calum Lacy (23), Erica Hygate (23) and Sumaya Javaid (22) climbed the roof of the Thales defence company in Glasgow in June 2022, unveiled banners and set off flares.

Employees had to be evacuated after Hygate and Javaid entered the building and pulled the fire alarm. A smoke bomb was set off in the area where employees were evacuated, causing further panic.

They also stayed there overnight, glued themselves to the roof and refused to talk to the police.

All five protesters pleaded guilty to disturbing the public order, while Hygate also admitted vandalism and Javaid pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.

All protesters except Javaid were sentenced to 12 months in prison, while she herself was sentenced to 14 months in prison.

Sheriff John McCormick told Glasgow Sheriff Court: “In total, 20 police officers, an inspector and two sergeants were on site over two days or four shifts.”

“The premises were closed for security reasons and because of the disruption to business activities, which included nationwide security issues.

“The damage caused was £1,130,783, not including costs to the Exchequer, police or emergency personnel.”

Thales, together with Israeli defence company Elbit Systems, produces the Watchkeeper UAV drone, which provides intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) capabilities to the British armed forces.