In August 2024, six actionists drove a repurposed prison van into a multi-million pound research, development, and manufacturing hub in Filton, Bristol – belonging to Elbit Systems, Israel’s main weapons supplier. Once inside, the six dismantled equipment, including several quadcopter ‘killer’ drones commonly used by the Israeli military to kill Palestinian civilians, including children. The action allegedly cost Elbit over £1 million in damage.
The response was brutal. The Filton activists were the first members of a direct action group to face counter terror powers by UK police, nearly a year before the proscription of Palestine Action.
After the six were arrested at the scene, four more were rounded up by armed counter-terrorism police, in different parts of the country. All were remanded in prison. Whilst under arrest, each of the 10 were detained without charge for approximately a week and interrogated repeatedly under the Terrorism Act. Displaying the clear abuse of such powers, each was eventually charged with non-terror offences.
In November 2024 and July 2025, further violent pre-dawn raids by police resulted in 14 more people charged with the same action and remanded to prison. They are now the Filton 24.
All of them were refused bail, a draconian measure criticised by UN experts and human rights lawyers. Trials are due to take place up to two years after the activists were first imprisoned, even though in UK law the custody time limit before a trial is six months.
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Meet the Filton 24
Ian Sanders
Ian took action against Leicester’s Israeli weapons factory, by driving a van into the building, whilst others scaled the roof, and destroyed Elbit’s war-drones inside.
He was remanded for allegedly being connected to an action, which caused over £1million in damages to the Filton-based research hub of Israel’s biggest weapons producer, making him one of the Filton 18. Ian has been on remand since 16th August 2024.
Zoë Rogers
Zoë was arrested inside Elbit’s Filton weapons hub on August 6th and has since been imprisoned before trial.
“I am honoured to be imprisoned in solidarity with thousands of Palestinian political prisoners.”
Fatema Zainab (Ray) Rajwani
Fatema was remanded on 14th August 2024, after being arrested inside Elbit’s weapons hub. Ray is proud of their Indian heritage and East African roots. Fatema is currently enrolled to complete their final year of Media studies at university.
“We reject the business of imperialist murder that Britain profits from. The slaughter of Black and Brown bodies that the British arms trade facilitates must end. Long live Palestine.”
Madeleine Norman
Madeleine’s involvement in taking direct action against Israel’s Elbit Systems goes back a couple of years. They previously ‘locked on’ in front of the gates of Elbit’s drone engine factory in Shenstone, shutting down the Israeli weapons maker, whilst displaying a banner which read “Free Ahmed Manasra“, who is a Palestinian prisoner held since the age of 13.
In January 2023, Madeleine scaled the roof of Leonardo’s Edinburgh factory, causing extensive damage to the producers of laser targeting systems for Israel’s F-35 fighter jets. During a dramatic police crackdown, they were accused of also being connected to the action against Elbit’s Filton research hub and is now one of the Filton 18.
Samuel Corner
Samuel is one of the #Filton18, and has been on remand since 14th August 2024 after he was arrested inside Elbit’s Filton site.
“This is what the British state does when you act on your moral duty to resist settler colonialism”
Jordan Devlin
Jordan was one of six people arrested at the Filton-based research and manufacturing hub of Israel’s biggest weapons firm, Elbit Systems. His group allegedly caused over £1million worth of damage. For trying to stop a Genocide he’s been detained in HMP Wormwood Scrubs, on remand, since 14th August 2024.
“I am taking action against Elbit, because the risk of months in prison pales in comparison to the despair suffered from witnessing the horrors they facilitate. The sense of wrong and right is black and white, in this instance, so I am honoured to take this opportunity in crafting a world I want to live in, to destroy completely the blatant evils in society we’ve all been lulled into ignoring.”
William Plastow
During the ongoing Gaza Genocide, William drove a car into the bollards in front of Elbit’s Leicester weapons factory, and locked his neck to the steering wheel to prevent the Israeli drone maker from opening.
Several months later, he was unjustly detained, without charge, for a week, and repeatedly interrogated about alleged involvement in an action against Elbit’s new research and development hub in Filton, Bristol – making him one of the #Filton18.
Leona Kamio
Leona is one of the Filton 18, and has been in prison, on remand, since 14th August 2024.
“My heart is forever with the Palestinian people; my head is held high and my crowbar is in some Israeli apartheid weapon.”
Charlotte Head
Lottie has been on remand since 14th August 2024, after she was arrested inside Elbit’s Filton site.
“My name is Lottie and I’ve been sent to prison for trying to stop an illegal and inhumane Genocide that is happening right now in Palestine. Myself and other activists took action to try and dismantle one of the arms manufacturers that is supporting Israel in this massacre. The police say what we did is illegal, but it is the British state that is acting illegally by allowing these war machines to operate and profit in our country. Free Palestine.”
Hannah Davidson
In June 2024, Hannah broke into Kent’s Israeli weapons factory which was situated in a ‘highly secure’ compound. Once inside the Elbit arms plant, she, and others, caused over £1million in damages to machinery and weaponry.
She was remanded, after being detained without charge, on allegations of being connected to the Filton action, which saw over £1million in damage caused to Elbit’s research centre for Israeli weapons. She is one of the Instro 10 and Filton 18.
T
“I’m proud to be part of a movement who love the Palestinian people, and support their right to resist with such sincerity that risks are happily taken.”
Teuta, a graduate of English Literature from King’s College, Oxford, was arrested in the raids against Palestine activists on 19th November 2024, and held on remand since then. She has already had to spend her 29th birthday behind bars. Teuta previously blockaded the entrance of Elbit’s Bristol HQ, forcing the Israeli weapons maker to close, and soon after, she also disrupted Elbit-investor BNY Mellon’s office in Manchester.
Sean Middlebrough
Sean, from Liverpool, was arrested on the 19th November 2024, in the third wave of Filton arrests, and remanded in custody. A seasoned activist, he took action, in January 2022, to occupy the roof, and dismantle the drone factory at Shenstone, and was wrongly arrested in relation to an action in Newcastle, and an alleged conspiracy to shut down the London Stock Exchange.
In the second case, charges were dropped, but only after Sean had already spent time locked-up on remand. His family, and his 7 year old son, Noah, miss him greatly.
Zahra Farooque
Zahra was arrested in November 2024 in the third wave of Filton arrests and has been held on remand since then. She enjoys sports, and reading.
Yulia Brigadirova
Yulia was arrested by ‘counter-terrorism’ police on November 19th 2024, in the third wave of Filton arrests.
Qesser Zuhrah
Qesser was arrested on November 19th, with the full misuse of ‘anti-terror’ powers. She was then remanded into prison after being charged with a non-terrorism related offence.
Heba Muraisi
Heba became one of the Filton 18, when she was taken into custody on November 19th 2024, and initially held, and interrogated under ‘anti-terror’ legislation, before being remanded in custody for a non-terrorism related offence.
Kamran Ahmed
Kamran was arrested in the police raids of 19th November 2024. While humble and camera-shy, he is passionate about the cause of the oppressed.
Aleksandra Herbich
Aleksandra has been in custody since 19th November 2024, when she was arrested by police using ‘anti-terrorist’ powers, and became one of the Filton 18.