Seven appear in UK court over attack at Israeli defense firm Elbit site

Seven people appear in a London court, charged with violent disorder, burglary and other offenses in what prosecutors say was an attack by protest group Palestine Action at a warehouse linked to Israeli defense firm Elbit.

Pro-Palestinian protesters have repeatedly targeted Elbit Systems UK and other defense firms in Britain linked to Israel in the wake of the conflict in Gaza.

Seven people, aged between 20 and 51, are charged with criminal damage and aggravated burglary over an incident at the Elbit premises near Bristol in southwest England on August 6.

Six of the seven have also been charged with violent disorder over the action in which, prosecutors say, a repurposed prison van was used to smash through fencing before some of the group damaged items in the warehouse with sledgehammers.

One of the group – Samuel Corner, 22 – has additionally been charged with grievous bodily harm for allegedly hitting a police officer with a sledgehammer and two charges of assault causing actual bodily harm.

All seven appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, where prosecutor Laura Jeffrey says the incident caused around 1 million pounds ($1.28 million) of damage.

“Elbit has been the repeated target of both protests and attacks,” Jeffrey says.

She also says that, while none of the defendants were charged with “terrorism offenses per se,” the charges had “a terrorist connection.”

All seven are remanded in custody ahead of their next court appearance at the Old Bailey on September 13. They have not yet had to enter a plea.