Four charged after Palestine Action protest

Four people have been charged over damage caused to a defence firm's facility.

Avon and Somerset Police said the group had been charged in connection with a protest at a premises in Aztec West Business Park in north Bristol on Saturday.

James Williams, 34, from Easton, Bristol, Rosa Garland, 28, from Southwark, London, Aleksandra Hobson, 36, from Halifax, Sana Kamal, 19, from Liverpool, were all arrested at the scene.

Video from the scene of the protest showed members of the Palestine Action using a cherry picker style vehicle and a hammer attached to a rope to break second floor windows and douse the building in red paint.

All four were charged with conspiracy to damage property, with Ms Garland, Ms Hobson and Ms Kamal all also charged with one count of assault by beating.

All four defendants were remanded in custody to appear at Bristol Magistrates' Court later.

Palestine Action allege that Elbit Systems UK is involved in the manufacture and supply of weapons to the Israeli military - a claim that the company strongly denies.

A spokesperson for Elbit said the firm is "proud to deliver a broad range of modern and innovative equipment and services to the British armed forces".

"Any claims that this facility supplies the Israeli military or Israeli Ministry of Defence are completely false."

Palestine Action claimed that the protest was intended to "damage the operational hub" of the defence firm.

The Aztec West facility a different site to the one targeted by the group in nearby Filton in August, where 18 people were arrested.

Follow BBC Bristol on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.