Seventy-two people have been arrested for supporting the proscribed terror group Palestine Action at a demonstration outside Woolwich Crown Court.
Four activists are being sentenced at the London court on Friday for a raid on an Israel-based defence firm’s UK factory.
Police vans arrived outside the court to ferry demonstrators away after the first person was arrested around 1.20pm.
Members of the crowd applauded, while others berated the officers, as each protester was carried away.
Some of the chants included “you’re complicit in genocide” and “Met police, shame, shame, all the crimes in your name”.
The protesters could also be heard banging drums and chanting through megaphones, with Palestine flags being waved.
As well as changing “Free Palestine”, the protesters displayed a number of signs stating “Direct Action Saves Lives” and “Direct Action is not Terrorism”.
In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said: “A number of arrests have been made during a protest in south east London.
“Seventy-two people have been arrested for supporting a proscribed terrorist organisation – Palestine Action – at a demonstration outside Woolwich Crown Court.
“All are currently in police custody.”
The protest took place during the sentencing of Charlotte Head, Samuel Corner, Leona Kamio and Fatema Rajwani, who were all convicted over a 6 August 2024 raid on the Elbit Systems factory in Bristol.
The activists, who were armed with sledgehammers and crowbars, smashed into the site using an old prison van.
Corner fractured a police officer’s spine during the fracas.
The four defendants claimed that the action was necessary to protect Palestinians.
They were convicted of criminal damage at Woolwich Crown Court in May, while Corner was also found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm.
The Elbit raid was one of the triggers for the UK government to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation, in a decision the High Court has now ruled was unlawful.
Court of Appeal judges are to decide on Monday whether to uphold the High Court ruling.
Mr Justice Johnson ruled in 2025 in pre-trial hearings that the Elbit raid had a “terrorist connection”, and he must decide on Friday whether to pass tougher sentences on the activists as a consequence of that ruling.
