Two members of Palestine Action, a group the government seeks to classify as a terrorist organization, have been charged following a protest outside a defense contractor.
According to Avon and Somerset Police, India Kalff, 30, and 36-year-old Jordan Woodgate, both from London, face charges of criminal damage after they obstructed the entrance to the Elbit Systems facility in Bristol on Tuesday.
Palestine Action claims that Elbit Systems UK plays a role in producing and supplying weapons to the Israeli military, a statement that the company categorically refutes.
Ms. Kalff and Mr. Woodgate have been granted conditional bail and are scheduled to appear at Bristol Magistrates’ Court on July 29.
Earlier this week, a draft proposal was submitted to Parliament seeking to amend the Terrorism Act 2000, which would categorize Palestine Action as a proscribed organization.
If the amendment is passed, it would become a criminal offense, punishable by up to 14 years in prison, for individuals to be affiliated with or support the direct action group.
Palestine Action is planning to mount a legal challenge against the government’s move to proscribe it, with a hearing anticipated on Friday to determine whether the proposed ban can be temporarily halted while further proceedings are considered.
Israel initiated its military operations in Gaza in response to Hamas’s attack on October 7, 2023, which resulted in around 1,200 fatalities and the abduction of 251 individuals.
Since then, according to the health ministry run by Hamas in the territory, over 56,500 people have died in Gaza.