Jordan Devlin (31) is the sixth and last defendant. On 17 December, his barrister Andrew Morris announced that he would not be giving evidence. Nonetheless, Jordan has featured prominently throughout the trial on the footage and in others’ evidence.
In the first week, Mr Morris cross-examined Elbit guard Angelo Volante and established that Volante had forcefully engaged with Jordan on three separate occasions.
Attacked by a security guard
On the first occasion, “Mr. Morris suggested that Volante had run down the corridor with whip in hand, screaming at Mr. Devlin who was unarmed, and inquired whether Volante had used any de-escalation training, rather than engaging in force on first contact with Devlin”. (This sequence with the whip is seen clearly on the unedited body worn camera footage.) Zoe Rogers later confirmed in her evidence that Volante ‘barrelled’ into Jordan without warning.
Mr Volante was then wielding a sledgehammer he had seized from Zoe, and Mr Morris alleged that he had struck Jordan with it. He showed the court a photograph of a round red mark on Jordan’s shoulder which he suggested was in the shape of a sledgehammer head. Mr Morris also showed the court footage from a CCTV camera where Volante’s leg is seen giving Jordan a karate kick.
Throughout this interaction with Jordan and Zoe captured on Volante’s body worn camera, Jordan is seen to be empty-handed, placing himself between Zoe and Volante, and calmly telling Volante to leave. Zoe later confirmed that Jordan’s actions had protected her from Volante, who she found terrifying.
Volante “admits he put him in a choke hold… Volante described the manoeuvre as a ‘rear naked choke hold’, which could be dangerous if not administered properly” (Real Media)
In the next encounter with Jordan, Volante “admits he then put him in a choke hold… Volante described the manoeuvre as a ‘rear naked choke hold’, which could be dangerous if not administered properly” (Real Media).
Police body worn camera footage shows the final violent engagement between them. Jordan had slipped over on the floor which was wet with fire extinguisher foam. As he got to his feet, Volante is seen running towards him and striking Jordan with the handle of the sledgehammer he is holding, causing him to fall down again.
While Volante “claims he was defending himself and trying to prevent Devlin from grabbing the sledgehammer …Morris argues that Devlin poses no threat at the time and Volante was performing an aggressive and dangerous act. Another photo showed Devlin’s bruised face and black eye, corresponding to the side of his face that Volante was accused of hitting. Volante admits that he struck him and that he fell back.”
Volante had attacked Jordan three times, and each time Jordan was unarmed
Footage also showed Jordan telling the police Volante had assaulted him and pointing at his face.
Towards the end of Mr Morris’s questions he pointed out that Volante had attacked Jordan three times, and each time Jordan was unarmed.
Volante reported a conversation between himself and Jordan after the police had arrived and all the arrests had been made. He said Jordan had likened the struggle to Star Wars, saying the activists were the rebels or the Jedi while Volante was the Empire.
“Jordan had likened the struggle to Star Wars, saying the activists were the rebels or the Jedi while Volante was the Empire”
Giving evidence, Lottie said she first saw Jordan again after their arrest at Westminster Magistrate’s Court, where Jordan showed her extensive bruising on his upper body. Lottie said the bruises were ‘black’ and recalls being shocked.
“Brilliant at de-escalation”
Although Jordan did not give evidence himself, five character witness statements were read out to the court.
A friend since childhood said “Jordan had always been interested in nature and the well-being of the planet and that this presented in his creativity and sustainable practices of furniture upcycling, and his veganism. They both volunteered at the local youth club, and Jordan ran arts and crafts workshops. He had recently applied for and been offered a job at Greenpeace” (Real Media).
Two of the statements were from ex-partners who have remained close friends. One of them “described Jordan as the most fundamentally uncomplicatedly kind person they’d ever known, whose sense of justice and his desire to help others always takes precedent even over any sense of self-preservation. They described how Jordan had helped them through their own mental struggles, and that they believed Jordan is a danger to absolutely nobody, absolutely no one” (Real Media).
“on multiple occasions putting himself in harm’s way to break up and de-escalate physical altercations”
Another close friend testified that Jordan is “someone who is very much against conflict of any sort, even on multiple occasions putting himself in harm’s way to break up and de-escalate physical altercations, brilliant at de-escalation and calming situations” (Real Media).
Another friend talked about Jordan’s love for animals, and how he would feed a squirrel who came to his bedroom window at his home in London, and even now in prison feeds pigeons when he can.
This ended the case for Jordan Devlin and all six defendants. The trial continues after the Christmas break on Tuesday 6 January. Detailed accounts from each day in court can be found on Real Media.
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