People came out in central London in support of the Palestine Action Filton 18 – currently being held by the state for daring to stand up against Israel’s ongoing apartheid and genocide against the Palestinian people.
Palestine Action: free the Filton 18
Outside of London’s Old Bailey, hundreds mobilised on Thursday 27 March in solidarity with the Filton 18 political prisoners – and to reject the state’s abuse of ‘counter terror’ powers against those resisting complicity in genocide:
During the demonstration, the police falsely arrested a supporter and was confronted with hundreds blocking the police vehicle to de-arrest the individual:
The confrontation included the mother of one of the Filton 18 sitting in front of the police van along with people trying to stop the cops:
After approximately one hour of the police being blockaded, the supporter was freed and returned to the demonstration.
The mobilisation, on the day of their hearing in the court, was joined with solidarity demonstrations at British Embassies and Consulates in Paris, Lyon, Dublin, and Vienna. A billboard was also pasted in Bristol which read ‘Free the Filton 18’ and local protest group ‘Rise Up for Palestine’ blockaded Elbit’s Filton weapons hub in solidarity.
Detained for resisting Israel’s apartheid and genocide
The 18 have been detained since raids in 2024, one group since August, and another group since November, after activists are alleged to have entered the ‘Elbit Systems’ arms facility in Filton, Bristol on 6th August. Inside the factory, the weaponry found – including Israeli quadcopters – was dismantled. Elbit is Israel’s largest weapons company – providing the occupying military with 85% of its drones and masses of munitions and military equipment.
Today’s hearing relates to the police’s attempts to assert that a ‘terrorism connection’ exists in relation to the case, a declaration which has been rejected by four United Nations Special Rapporteurs.
Outside the Old Bailey, a press conference was held where statements were provided by the families of the political prisoners and from leading figures in the solidarity campaign.
The friends and family of the Filton 18 said:
Our loved ones are being treated as terrorists. The accusation is that they intervened in the genocide, that is still happening now to Palestinians. We have had our family homes violently raided and our loved ones forcibly disappeared, all so that the state can protect their interest in arming the Israeli military. This is not a fair trial but we stay strong for all those who have been unjustly imprisoned.
Palestine Action: support from MPs
Emma Kamio, mother of Leona Kamio, read out a pre-prepared statement from MP Dianne Abbot:
I am deeply concerned by the ongoing prosecution of my constituent Leona Kamio and other Filton18 actionists under counter-terrorism legislation. While we must respect the legal process, serious questions remain about whether these charges are proportionate and compatible with both our domestic commitments to civil liberties and our international legal obligations.
The use of such severe measures, including dawn raids at their homes and solitary confinement, particularly when people have been detained for months without conviction, risks undermining public confidence in the fairness of our justice system. Recent interventions by the United Nations have rightly drawn attention to whether these cases represent an appropriate use of legal powers or an unnecessary restriction on lawful dissent.
When laws designed to address genuine threats to public safety are applied in ways that are aimed at stifling protest, we must all take notice. This is particularly troubling when such activism relates to matters of international law, including our obligations to prevent arms transfers to Israel that could facilitate violations of international humanitarian law.
Whatever one’s views on the issues involved, we cannot ignore the importance of safeguarding fundamental freedoms while upholding our legal responsibilities. The right to protest must not be equated with criminality, nor should activism concerning matters of such serious international concern be treated as a threat to national security.
I call on the authorities to ensure the cases of the Filton 18 actionists are handled with full transparency, proportionality, and respect for both the rule of law and our international legal obligations.
Featured image and additional images via Martin Pope
