A judge at Preston Crown Court has ruled that five activists from the group Palestine Action will not be sentenced under terrorism laws. The decision follows their June conviction for causing 212,000 pounds ($290,000) in damage to a Barclays bank branch in Burnley, Lancashire, during an August 2024 protest against the bank’s financial ties to Israeli weapons manufacturer Elbit Systems.
The defendants—Brendon O’Hagan, 28, Amanda Kelly, 31, Hmeera Atiqnisar, 31, Mohammed Malik, 28, and 70-year-old Alma Yaniv—are scheduled for sentencing on September 4. Outside the courthouse on Friday, supporters celebrated the ruling with cheers and chants, marking a significant moment for the group.
In a joint statement, the five activists expressed relief, stating they were “extremely relieved that the court has seen sense and decided not to sentence us as terrorists.” They emphasized that the terrorism designation should never have been a consideration, noting that they were on trial for standard criminal damage charges without prior warning that terrorism-related sentencing could be applied.
The legal uncertainty arose after trial judge Philip Parry indicated he would consider whether the offense carried a “terrorist connection.” This move mirrored a previous case in which four activists were sentenced as terrorists for a protest at an Elbit Systems facility in Filton, nearly two years after their initial conviction.
Criminal defense lawyer Raj Chada, whose firm has represented multiple Palestine Action members, described the application of these laws as highly unusual. He argued that while the legislation has existed for years, it appears to be selectively applied to target Palestine Action members for offenses that occurred before the group was officially proscribed.
“To the best of our knowledge, the only time this law was used in relation to direct action protest groups was against those convicted at Filton,” Chada noted, suggesting that prosecutors are using the law to target the nature of the protest rather than the individuals involved.
The broader legal climate remains tense, with the rights group Defend our Juries reporting that over 3,500 people have been arrested for supporting Palestine Action since its July 2025 proscription. This government ban places the group on a similar legal footing to organizations like al-Qaeda and ISIL, leading to widespread arrests at demonstrations, including frequent sit-ins at London’s Parliament Square.
Amnesty International UK’s head, Kerry Moscogiuri, welcomed the judge’s latest ruling while calling for a shift in government policy. “We now need to see the proscription against Palestine Action lifted and an end to the misuse of sweeping counter terror powers against direct action protestors,” Moscogiuri said, urging the government to stop the erosion of the right to protest.
Reflecting on the outcome, Dove Malik, mother of defendant Mohammed Malik, told reporters, “It’s a victory for us, it’s a victory for Palestine, it’s a victory for protesting … We are on the right side of history.” The report also notes that more than 3,500 people – many over the age of 60 – have been arrested for expressing support for Palestine Action after it was proscribed by politicians in July 2025, plac, according to the rights group Defend our Juries. The report also notes that where protesters held signs reading, “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action.”, many of these arrests have arisen through repeated mass sit-ins in central London’s Parliament Square. The report also notes that neither the defendants nor the jury were aware that terrorism charges might be involved. The report also notes that one of the most effective tools we have to hold our leaders to account.”, the government should begin the process of reversing the years of attacks on our right to protest.
