Senior Greens call for Filton 24 sentences to be reviewed after judge ‘risks serious injustice’ by using terrorism powers against protesters
Senior Green Party figures joined Amnesty International in criticising today’s sentencing of four members of the Filton 24.
Green Peer Jenny Jones called for the sentences to be reviewed after Judge Justice Johnson sentenced the four Palestine Action activists as terrorists – even though they were not convicted of terrorism offences when tried by two juries.
Green Party peer Jenny Jones said:
“The sentencing today of Charlotte Head, Samuel Corner, Leona Kamio, and Fatema Zainab Rajwani as terrorists when they were convicted by a jury of non-terrorist offences flies in the face of justice.
“The Filton 24, of which those sentenced today were a part, acted to save lives not to take lives – to disrupt the flow of weapons from this country to Israel that the last two governments have shamefully allowed to continue during, what most experts agree is an ongoing genocide in Gaza.
“Whatever anyone thinks of their specific actions, they were clearly a very long way from what any reasonable person would consider terrorism. These sentences need to be reviewed immediately.”
Green MP Sian Berry added:
“While the proscription of Palestine Action has been struck down and the verdict in the Government appeal against this has not yet been given, escalating these sentences today clearly risks a serious injustice.
“Real questions also remain about the impartiality of this judge whose behaviour and actions throughout the trial have been condemned by a large group of lawyers, magistrates, and former police officers.”
During the sentencing the court heard that the defendants damaged over 40 weapons – including various types of drones – at Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems’ research and development site at Filton, Bristol at a cost of £1.2million according to the prosecution.
Over 70,000 people have been killed in the genocide in Gaza.