Five out of six Palestine Action protesters on trial in relation to a break-in at the Elbit Systems factory in Filton in 2024 were released on bail on Wednesday. The verdicts handed down to them at Woolwich crown court over events at the UK subsidiary of the Israeli defence manufacturer – reported to have caused over £1 million’s worth of damage – will not have pleased the government. Labour has been desperate to show its zeal in fighting violent protest and assure supporters of Israel that it hasn’t abandoned them.

Nevertheless, despite whoops of delight from left-wingers including Jeremy Corbyn and Zack Polanski – together with others who ought to have known better – the result was very far from a vindication of the defendants’ actions. Still less did it vindicate any belief that jurors have the right to express their dislike of the law by refusing to convict someone based on their conscience. 

Today, protests – especially those aimed at buildings and property – are depressingly normal

For one thing, the Palestine Action protestors were only actually acquitted on charges of aggravated burglary and violent disorder. These verdicts were entirely defensible. The defendants had stoutly denied that they had gone in looking for trouble or tooled up for personal violence, which the prosecution had to prove. Whatever readers may think, it is a fair........

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