THE PUBLIC IS CLEARLY UNCOMFORTABLE WITH JAILING PEACENIKS FOR TRYING TO STOP WEAPONS SUPPLIES TO A GENOCIDAL REGIME ~ Andy Meinke ~ Woolwich Crown Court is a grim place even if you’re not on trial. No history like the Old Bailey or even a duck pond like Snaresbrook. Just a concrete block on land reclaimed from the marshes, which you have to walk past two prisons to reach and is connected by a tunnel to a third, so those sentenced can’t be rescued from the Serco van by their terrorist accomplices. Small chance of that from the peace campaigners and human rights activists gathered outside yesterday — so all hopes rested with the jury. And Glory Hallelujah did they deliver! Despite being caught red handed with actual paint and on camera smashing up an arms factory with sledgehammers, the twelve good and true found all six activists not guilty of Aggravated Burglary, three not guilty of Violent Disorder, and were unable to reach a majority of at least 9 to 3 on three remaining charges of Violent Disorder, six of Criminal Damage and one of inflicting Grievous Bodily Harm with Intent.  Sadly we anticipate the Crown Prosecution Service, pushed by the Government, will put them all through a retrial. But five of the six have been granted bail, a decision rather forced on Mr Justice Johnson because they’ve served more time in jail than he could give them without ripping up the sentencing guidelines. Sam Corner remains inside as the offence under section 18 Offences Against the Person Act 1861 carries a maximum life sentence. Jury’s do not give reasons for their verdicts and are not allowed to reveal their deliberations. Nor is anyone allowed to carry out any form of research on actual jury decisions, so we cannot tell why they came to these conclusions. But we can guess pretty good, can’t we kids! With due respect to the forensic oratory of the team of barristers from Garden Court Chambers and thorough research by solicitors from Irvine Thavis Natas (ITN), the obvious truth is the great British public is clearly uncomfortable with jailing peaceniks for trying to stop weapons supplies to genocidal regimes. We shouldn’t get carried away, this is a London jury, I wouldn’t have fancied their chances in Canterbury or Stafford where other anti Elbit cases are due. But by making a spurious ‘terrorist connection’ the trial had to be held at the Bailey or Woolwich — and they didn’t choose Woolwich for the greater security. While we’re showing some objectivity: These defendants would still have got a jury trial under the current Levison/Lammie proposals to restrict peoples’ right to chose one. While not firmed up, the suggestion is that only cases with a prospective sentence of three years or more would entitle you to choose a Jury. Aggravated Burglary has a life maximum. In this case where it’s clearly ‘high harm’ and ‘high culpability’, the sentencing guidelines give a starting point of 10 years with a range of 9 to 13 after a contested trial. There are 18 people awaiting three further trials for the same incident, due between April and September. Their lawyers will be scrambling to Court to make bail applications in the aftermath of yesterdays’ verdicts (or failure to reach them). Trial 4 has a preliminary hearing on Friday. There are also the people awaiting trial for pouring paint in plane engines at RAF Brize Norton. Even those advocating resurgent British militarism may consider it cheaper to pay a sentry to guard the Nations’ hardware than to prosecute the scooter-born menace trying to graff it. To misquote Lloyd George, “A fully equipped Judge costs twice as much as a Dreadnought and is nearly as terrible”. It’s a lot to expect more miracles in quick succession, but in a year already filled with horrible shocks we can take hope that we may be seeing the start of a sea change in public opinion, not unlike that towards South Africa in the 1980’s, which will make the British state’s support for the overtly racist Israeli regime untenable. The post Filton acquittals: The start of a sea change appeared first on Freedom News.

PROTEST IN SOLIDARITY WITH HUNGER STRIKING PALESTINE ACTIONISTS ~ Scott Harris ~ Sheffield group Stop Arming Israel says its activists today blockaded the Ametek-Land factory in Dronfield, protesting the company’s supply of infrared temperature measurement components to Israeli arms company Elbit. Protestors closed off the entrances for about an hour, chanting and giving speeches in support of the hunger strikers currently on remand in British prisons for taking action against companies involved in Gaza genocide. The prisoners demand a a shut-down of Elbit’s operations in Britain as well as immediate bail, an end to the censorship of their communications, the right to a fair trial, and the de-proscription of Palestine Action. All the hunger strikers have currently been hospitalised, with two of them—Qesser Zuhrah and Amu Gib—having passed 50 days without food. Several of their families have received little or no updates on their situations, according to the Prisoners for Palestine collective. “The hunger strikers are on death’s door”, said the Sheffield group, “Keir Starmer and David Lammy have Palestinian blood on their hands—and they will have the hunger strikers’ blood on their hands too if they do not act now”. Ametek, whose annual sales top $7 billion, increased its share price by nearly 30% during the first 14 months of the Gaza war. The company supplies Elbit with components for fighter jets and tanks used by the Israeli military. The post Sheffield Elbit supplier blockaded appeared first on Freedom News.

COMPANY “COMPLICIT IN THE WORLD’S WARS AND GENOCIDES”, SAY ACTIVISTS ~ Cristina Sykes ~ Groups including Shut the System, Carnage Total and Scientist Rebellion say their activists last night smashed windows and spray-painted offices of Allianz, a major global insurance company, over its complicity in Israeli arms. The groups said offices were defaced in Austria, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Taiwan, and Birmingham. Provided photos from Paris The actions follow the 1 November renewal of Allianz’s contract with Israeli arms company Elbit Systems. The group noted the actions coinciding with the anniversary of the Balfour Declaration in 1917. “Palestine is a crux point for our shared struggle for justice against imperialist forces”, said a UK spokesperson in a press release. “They massacre communities so that greed-driven multinationals can ravage the land for oil, gas and minerals, devastating the support systems for all life on Earth”. Elbit Systems supplies up to 85% of Israel’s military drones and land-based equipment, while its British exports to Israel mostly concern drone and aircraft components, military electronics, and target and acquisition systems The post Elbit insurer Allianz targeted in 8 countries appeared first on Freedom News.

EDWARDS AND JP MORGAN OFFICES DEFACED WITH PAINT, WINDOWS SMASHED ~ Cristina Sykes ~ Palestine Action says its activists targeted Edwards Accountants in Birmingham and JP Morgan at Victoria Embankment in London early this morning (May 14th) due to their involvement with Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit. Both company’s offices were covered in red paint, and the front glass doors of JP Morgan were shattered. Edwards Accountants are the listed accountants for Elbit Systems UK and its subsidiaries, whilst JP Morgan hold Elbit shares worth over $22m. This week, financial reports showed JP Morgan had reduced their investment in Elbit Systems by over 53%. However, they still remain a major investor in the company which is a major supplier of weapons for the Israeli military, which is committing genocide in Gaza.  Photos by Direct Action Images Elbit Systems, which is the primary target of Palestine Action’s campaign, supplies over 85% of Israel’s military drone fleet and land-based equipment, as well as bombs, missiles and other weaponry. The post Activists target Elbit accountants and investors appeared first on Freedom News.

RED PAINT AND “DROP ELBIT” GRAFFITI SPRAYED IN COORDINATED ACTIONS AGAINST INSURANCE FIRM ~ Cristina Sykes ~ Palestine Action says its activists have paint-targeted 10 offices of Allianz, the world’s largest insurance firm, to demand the company stop insuring and investing in Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems. Activists covered the premises in paint and messages such as “Drop Elbit”, and this morning also occupied the front overhang of the entrance to the company’s Guildford headquarters. Allianz has previously been described as Elbit’s “principle institutional shareholder“, at-one-point owning over 2% of the company. The finance company continues to hold thousands of shares in Elbit Systems Ltd., while according to the group its subsidiary ‘Allianz Insurance Products Trust’ provides insurance services for Elbit Systems UK, including employment insurance.  Manchester. Photo: Neil Terry The campaign against Elbit’s backers has seen companies like Barclays and BNY Mellon shut down repeatedly, to raise-the-stakes of their dealings with genocide. “If Allianz refuses to understand that dealing with Elbit is immoral, it must be made clear that maintaining its involvement will become increasingly unprofitable”, said Palestine in a statement. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Top image: Guildford. Photo: Martin Pope The post Activists target ten Allianz offices over Elbit links appeared first on Freedom News.