Palestine Action activists face terrorist sentencing
Analysis based on 8 articles · First reported Jul 27, 2026 · Last updated Jul 27, 2026
The case may increase reputational risk for Barclays due to its past ties to Elbit Systems, though the bank has already divested. The broader legal precedent could affect how financial institutions engage with controversial clients, potentially increasing compliance costs.
Five Palestine activists—Brendon O Hagan, Amanda Kelly, Mohammed Malik, Hmeera Atiqnisar, and Alma Yaniv—were convicted of criminal damage for a protest at a Barclays bank branch in Burnley, Lancashire, on August 5, 2024, causing £212,805.14 in damage. The protest targeted Barclays due to its financial ties to Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems. Judge Philip Parry is now considering whether to rule the crime had a 'terrorist connection' when sentencing in September, following a precedent set in a similar case against Palestine activists who attacked an Elbit factory near Bristol. The United Kingdom — Crown Prosecution Service has argued for a terrorist connection based on the defendants' admissions of affiliation with Palestine and the protest being part of a wider campaign. If sentenced as terrorists, the activists face longer prison terms, loss of automatic early release, extended license periods, and police monitoring. Critics, including Liberty, Green Party leader Zack Polanski, and Labour MP Ryan McDonnell, argue this is a misuse of counter-terrorism laws to target political dissent. Barclays sold all its Elbit shares by October 2024.
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