On April 29th we heard the closing defence speeches of the Filton 6 retrial, with all defendants except Sam choosing to dismiss their lawyers and represent themselves. Corner, remained represented in court, by barrister Tom Wainwright.
Here is the powerful closing defence statement delivered by Ms Zoe Rogers:
As you’ve probably noticed, I decided to represent myself in this trial. Not because my barrister was doing a bad job or anything – we’ve actually become close friends – and I’m constantly telling the others I have the best barrister. I am so grateful for everything she has done for me, in this trial and the last. But this time I wanted to be able to speak to you myself.
During this trial you’ve heard some very important evidence. You’ve heard that there are factories on British soil making weapons to send to Israel. You’ve heard that the drones they make include Thor VTOL Quadcopters used to drop grenades, drones that are advertised as ‘battle tested’ on Palestinians. You’ve heard that drones use AI to target children, and that Magni X surveillance drones work in tandem with ‘killer drones’, and that Research & Development carried out in the UK is vital to the Israeli military. You’ve also heard that the Filton site was opened by the Israeli Ambassador, that it has export licences to Israel, that Elbit itself is the ‘backbone’ of the Israeli military.
You heard how we tried every democratic means available to us, including demonstrations, fundraisers, encampments, petitions, writing to MPs, stickers leading to Amnesty International information about the apartheid, vigils, arms factory pickets, the list goes on. And how none of it worked. You heard how direct action is effective, how it ended apartheid during the civil rights movement in America, how it is being used in the UK today to shut down weapons factories, 4 of which have been closed permanently.
You’ve heard that after we destroyed these drones we were arrested for terrorism – were held incommunicado – spent 18 months in prison without trial. You’ve heard that this is a retrial.
After hearing the 6 of us give evidence you might think it odd that what’s happening in Palestine has gone completely unmentioned, you might have noticed certain words that have been blacklisted, that until our closing speeches the word genocide wasn’t said once. There have been interruptions from the prosecution, quick subject changes from our barristers – it’s almost as if whole topics of conversation have been banned. The prosecution know full well that we are right that this factory is supplying weapons to Israel to be used in Gaza. That is why they are choosing to suppress it rather than contest it. The prosecution have decided that the legality of Israel’s actions is irrelevant in this trial. Because they know you could not in good conscience find us guilty of anything if you were allowed to hear the whole truth.
To find us guilty of criminal damage you have to be sure. You might recognise the term ‘beyond reasonable doubt’, it’s the same thing. And I’m going to use an analogy to explain this, because unlike this lot, I don’t have a legal degree.
Let’s imagine that you and someone you love have gone on holiday together. And one day you decide to go parachuting. Now, you’d want to be sure that this parachute is going to catch you. You wouldn’t just buy a cheap one off of Amazon, wouldn’t borrow one off a friend that had been rotting in their shed for a while. Because you’d want to know everything about this parachute! Its history, who had made it, how it had been used, maybe even its motivations? Because you’d want to know that as you’re plummeting towards the ground, when you set off that mechanism that parachute is going to catch you, because if you’re not sure, well, that’s a pretty permanent mistake. And this decision is no different. It is just as permanent, with life-changing consequences, and most importantly, you cannot take it back.
The prosecution have to make you sure, for you to be able to convict. But how can you be sure when you know you haven’t heard the whole truth?
Now I’m an ordinary person, with friends, family, a place at university, a cat I love, basically a whole lot to lose by going to prison. But you know that we all actually intended to be arrested on the 6th of August. We intended to go to trial. And I won’t speak for the others here, but the reason I was willing and confident enough to allow that, was because I knew that now, 20 months in the future, I would be standing in front of 12 ordinary people like you. Not politicians, not legal experts, not barristers and judges wearing 400 yr old horsehair on their heads, but a panel of my equals. You are the best counterweight to power and tyranny within the legal system as it exists today. It is a privilege to be judged by you. And I don’t say that to flatter you, but because as you’ve already heard, the right to trial by jury is under threat, with a Bill passing through the House of Commons as I speak. Juries as we know them today may not be around for much longer, precisely because your pockets cannot be weighed down by bribes from the rich and powerful. (And also because juries often refuse to convict in these kinds of cases). And that is a very powerful position for you to be in.
No one can tell you to convict in this case, not even the judge. In fact, the judge is explicitly not allowed to tell you to convict! You, and only you, can decide on your verdicts. But not only can you acquit us, but you have the RIGHT to acquit us. No one can punish you for your decision. No one can even ask you why.
I want you to know however, that whatever you decide, I will not hold it against you. How can I when you have been kept so in the dark. But you can be sure of one thing. I am proud, I am so proud that I took part in this. I am proud that I overcame my fear and took action, because of course I was scared, you don’t just break into an Israeli weapons factory for fun! And I can say with absolute certainty that this is the best thing I have ever done, because there is a good chance that because of our actions that night, innocent lives were saved.
And so I will never be ashamed that I was on trial, that I have spent 18 months in prison, that I may face many more.
You know that we have been treated as terrorists throughout this process. A domestic violence worker, two nursery school teachers, one Oxford graduate, an artist and me. It sounds dystopian, but it’s true, just like the proscription of Palestine Action.
But this time you are the decision makers. Unlike what the prosecution and the government want you to be, you are not a rubber stamp. Don’t fall into their trap.
Find the six of us Not Guilty of criminal damage.