Palestine Action protest case dismissed

24 October 2022

Rosalind and Mira

The case against a group of three protestors from the Palestine Action group was dismissed last week, on the first day of the three-day trial, following defence submissions.

On the anniversary of the signing of the Balfour Declaration last November, protestors scaled a building that they believe to be involved in the export of military equipment direct from the Bristol site to Israel.

The protestors, represented by Garden Court North’s Mira Hammad and Rosalind Burgin, were being prosecuted under section 68 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, for “disrupting lawful activity”.

Following cross examination of Police officers and a representative of the “defense and homeland security company” renting the building, Mira and Rosalind, of our criminal defence and appeals team, made a submission of “no case to answer,” arguing that the prosecution had raised “no direct evidence of lawful activity on the site,” or of any “disruption”.

District Judge Mark Wattam stated:

“The Defence submission is that there is no case for three Defendants to answer… It is right that I can discharge the case at this stage if an essential element of offence missing.

“In short terms, unusually, I am going to discharge case at this stage. I don’t think any reasonable tribunal would convict the Defendants of the offence as charged.”

Chambers news

Chambers news

DWP failings contributed to decline in mental state of Kristie Hunt, Coroner finds

Garden Court North’s Ciara Bartlam represented Kristie’s family at Manchester South Coroner’s Court (pictured) in Stockport. Credit: Alastair Wallace / Shutterstock.   Failings on behalf...

Chambers news

European Court of Justice allows first ever appeal in an Article 272 TFEU-related case via new appeal filtering mechanism

Garden Court North’s Antje Kunst represented SC at the European Court of Justice (pictured) in Luxembourg. Credit: Alexandros Michailidis / Shutterstock.   On 29 April...

Chambers news

Nina Grahame KC secures permission for Liam O’Pray to appeal against life sentence for murder

Garden Court North’s Nina Grahame KC represented Liam O’Pray at the Court of Appeal inside the Royal Courts of Justice (pictured), London. Credit: Lazy Llama...

Chambers news

Lampard Inquiry into deaths in Essex mental health services to resume

Garden Court North’s Lily Lewis (pictured) delivers INQUEST’s opening statement to the Lampard Inquiry on 10 September, 2024. Credit: Lampard Inquiry / YouTube.   On...

Sign up to our mailing list

Our mailing list is dedicated to professionals with an interest in our work.

Sign up