Latest news with #proPalestine
The Sun
3 hours ago
- Politics
- The Sun
Three arrested over ‘TERROR offence' after pro-Palestine demo van ‘rams into defence firm factory fence'
THREE pro-Palestine protesters have been arrested under terrorism laws after a van crashed into a security fence at a defence firm. Cops rushed to the Leonardo factory on Crewe Road North in Edinburgh this morning. 3 3 A light blue Ford Transit van was seen jammed up against a damaged metal perimeter fence as a group of protesters climbed onto the vehicle's roof. A Palestine flag was draped from the rear of the vehicle as the activists sat just feet away from the defence facility's razor wire-topped fence. Officers nicked three women, aged 31, 34 and 42, under the Terrorism Act 2000. An eyewitness told The Scottish Sun: 'We arrived and the police were here. It appeared to be a peaceful enough protest. 'There wasn't any aggro between the police and the protesters.' Specialist officers kitted out in harnesses and hard hats responded to the alleged incident. Cops were spotted hoisting a stretcher onto the roof of the light blue diesel van. Officers cordoned off an area around the crash site and forensic officers also attended the scene. Police Scotland's counter terrorism unit has launched a probe and urged any witnesses to get in touch. A spokesperson for the force said: 'Three women, aged 31, 34 and 42, have been arrested under the Terrorism Act 2000 after a van was driven into an external fence of a business premises in Edinburgh. "The incident happened during a disturbance in the Crewe Road North area of the city on Tuesday, 15 July, 2025." Forensic officers kitted out in white overalls also attended the scene. Leonardo is one of the biggest suppliers of defence and security equipment to the Ministry of Defence. It is the UK's largest producer of high-tech sensors, lasers and electronic systems, which are used in some of the world's most advanced aircraft, including fighter jets. The Italian defence company also supplies military technology to Israel.
BBC News
2 days ago
- BBC News
Five more arrested over alleged ram raid at Elbit's Bristol site
Five more people have been arrested over an alleged ram-raid at a defence technology firm as part of a pro-Palestine of the recently proscribed group Palestine Action are accused of breaking into the Elbit Systems UK site near Bristol on 6 August last Terrorism Policing South East (CTPSE) said they are accused of causing "extensive damage" to inventory and assaulting employees and two police Action allege Elbit Systems UK is involved in the manufacture and supply of weapons to the Israeli military - a claim the company strongly denies. CTPSE said that on Tuesday the five people were arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism, contrary to Section 41 of the Terrorism Act five - a 66-year-old man from Bristol, a 20-year-old woman from Whitstable in Kent, a 19-year-old man from London, a 27-year-old man from London, and a 33-year-old man from London - remain in custody.A total of 10 people were arrested shortly after the incident last year, with a further eight arrested in November. They have all been charged with various offences and are currently awaiting Action became a proscribed organisation under the Terrorism Act 2000 on 5 July.
The Independent
2 days ago
- The Independent
Five further arrests made over incident at Israeli defence firm's UK site
Five further arrests have been made over a pro-Palestine protest at an Israeli-based defence firm's site. The incident happened at the Elbit Systems UK building near Patchway in South Gloucestershire on August 6 last year. Counter Terrorism Policing South East (CTPSE) said a group of people forced their way into the building, causing 'extensive damage'. Employees of the company and two police officers were 'seriously assaulted', police added. Following a series of warrants at locations across the country on Tuesday, five people have been arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism, contrary to Section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000, police said. These are: a 66-year-old man from Bristol; a 20-year-old woman from Whitstable, Kent; a 19-year-old man from London; a 27-year-old man from London; and a 33-year-old man from London. They all remain in custody. Shortly after the incident last year, 10 people were arrested, with a further eight arrested in November 2024. They have all been charged with various offences and are awaiting trial.
The Guardian
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
NSW police yet to withdraw protest charge against Hannah Thomas as promised as she pleads not guilty
New South Wales police are yet to withdraw a charge against pro-Palestine protester Hannah Thomas that relied on a rarely used emergency power introduced in the wake of the 2005 Cronulla riots. Thomas was arrested and charged alongside four others at a pro-Palestine protest in Sydney on 27 June that was attended by about 60 people at SEC Plating. The 35-year-old was taken to hospital, with her lawyers alleging a police officer punched her in the face. Last week Thomas underwent a second round of surgery amid fears she could lose sight in her right eye. The former Greens candidate had her matter briefly heard in Bankstown local court on Tuesday, where her solicitor Stewart O'Connell said Thomas would plead not guilty to three charges: resisting police, failure to comply with a move on direction, and refusing or failing to comply with a direction to disperse. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email The last charge is yet to be withdrawn, despite the assistant commissioner Brett McFadden saying last week it would be. McFadden said in a statement last week after he launched a review to examine whether the charges against Thomas were relevant and appropriate, that the latter charge – which falls under laws used to quell 'large-scale public disorders' and which were introduced in the wake of the Cronulla riots – would be dropped. He said Thomas would instead face a charge of failing to comply with a move on direction. However, on Tuesday the court heard Thomas was facing all three charges, and the prosecutor Chris Allison said none had been withdrawn yet. Allison, who is a solicitor for the NSW Director of Public Prosecutions, told the court on Tuesday the DPP had taken over Thomas' matter from police. On Monday, in a statement calling for charges against Thomas to be withdrawn, Thomas's lawyers at O'Brien Criminal and Civil Solicitors alleged that a police officer punched her in the face during the protest, resulting in 'extensive and serious injury to her eye'. Her lawyers said they had taken the unusual step of commenting on the case while criminal proceedings against their client were under way after viewing the police's body cam footage. They flagged that Thomas will sue the state of New South Wales 'for the actions of the NSW police officers connected to her apprehension, injury, detention, and prosecution'. Days after Thomas's arrest, McFadden told ABC radio that he had viewed the body-worn video and there was 'no information at this stage that's before me that indicates any misconduct on behalf of my officers'. Thomas' arrest has been declared a critical incident by police, which means an investigation into the incident will be overseen by the independent police watchdog. Protesters claimed SEC Plating, at where the 27 June protest took place, was manufacturing parts used in the F-35 jet program. However, SEC Plating has denied that this is the case. The four protesters who were charged alongside Thomas also had their matters heard on Tuesday in Bankstown. All pleaded not guilty to their various charges relating to the protest and their arrests. This included Zack Schofield, 26, who is facing a charge of failing to comply with a police direction, and resisting police. On Tuesday he had a bail condition removed that had restricted him from attending protests. O'Connell, a lawyer at O'Brien Criminal and Civil Solicitors, who is acting on behalf of all five protesters, told the court during Schofield's bail variation hearing that: 'There's no objective evidence which I have seen which clearly shows he resisted.' 'We say that [direction from police] is clearly unlawful.' Outside the court on Tuesday, O'Connell said: 'Every minute that these charges persist is another minute of injustice'. 'The charges are ludicrous. There is objective evidence in relation to all of the matters that are consistent with innocence,' he said. 'Hannah Thomas, in the meantime, she'll be doing everything she possibly can to bring accountability to the NSW police and to receive justice.' O'Connell alleged that the body-worn video depicted 'a brutal, cowardly and despicable assault'.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Met police drops probe into man accused of wearing 'Hamas' parachute at pro-Palestine protest
Police have dropped an investigation into a pro-Palestine protester accused of wearing a parachute in support of Hamas, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. Furious campaigners have branded Scotland Yard's decision not to charge the suspect in line with terror laws as 'remarkable'. The Metropolitan Police had warned 'anyone displaying symbols, wording or otherwise indicating their support for a proscribed organisation risks arrest' ahead of a central London protest on October 5 last year commemorating one year since the start of the conflict following the 2023 October 7 massacre. Yet the Met closed its investigation into the unnamed man accused of wearing the parachute – interpreted as support for terrorists who used paragliders to enter Israel from Gaza in the attack – despite the force even publicising his arrest on social media. It said on its X account the suspect was 'wearing what appeared to be a parachute' and shared a clip showing him being taken away by officers in Whitehall during the protest. The force said he was 'arrested on suspicion of wearing or displaying an article indicating support for a proscribed organisation', but the case was quietly dropped earlier this summer due to 'evidential difficulties'. A Campaign Against Antisemitism spokesman told the Mail: 'This kind of imagery glorifies a proscribed terrorist organisation and its lethal antisemitism. 'The reported decision to drop the investigation is remarkable and the public is entitled to an explanation.' A Met spokesman said: 'The findings from our investigation did not meet the evidential threshold for any charges to be brought against the individual.' On Saturday police arrested more than 70 protesters for supporting newly banned terrorist organisation Palestine Action. A vicar was among at least 42 people detained by Scotland Yard officers as activists gathered for a second week in a row beside a statue of Gandhi in London's Parliament Square, holding placards reading: 'I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.' Another 16 arrests were made in Manchester and 13 people were also held in Cardiff at other related demonstrations the same day.
