Full Breakdown
Three Women Found Guilty of Criminal Damage After Pro-Palestine Protest
3/5/2026, 1:11:27 PM
Incident Overview
On February 18, 2022, three women—Hollie Mildenhall, Summer Oxlade, and Georgia Coote—conducted a pro-Palestine protest at Pearson Engineering, a factory in Newcastle owned by Rafael Advanced Defence Systems, an Israeli state-owned weapons technology company. The protest lasted approximately eight hours and involved significant acts of vandalism, including the use of red paint, rubble dumping, and damage to factory signage.
Details of the Protest
The protest began early in the morning when a flatbed van, driven by Oxlade with Mildenhall and Coote as passengers, arrived at the factory. Dressed in matching red boiler suits, the women executed a well-planned operation that included climbing onto the roof of the factory and using slingshots to fire stones at the building. They also cut through barbed wire and utilized paint-filled fire extinguishers to spray red paint on the factory and its security guards, who were present during the incident.
Legal Proceedings
The Newcastle Crown Court found the three women guilty of criminal damage, with the total estimated cost of the damage around £6,000. The prosecution argued that the women’s actions were unlawful, regardless of their motivations, which they claimed were to disrupt the factory's operations in protest against the Israeli military actions in Gaza. The women were released on bail and are scheduled for sentencing on April 28, 2023.
Official Statements & Responses
During the trial, the prosecution emphasized that the evidence, including CCTV footage and testimonies from security guards, clearly demonstrated the women's involvement in the vandalism. Prosecutor Michael Bunch stated, “While their beliefs may be strongly held, the Crown say they do not provide a defence in law for what the evidence shows they did.” The defendants, however, maintained that their actions were justified given the factory's connection to the Israeli military.
Criticism & Opposition
Critics of the verdict argue that the women were exercising their right to protest against what they perceive as complicity in human rights violations. Supporters of the women expressed their views in court, with one individual shouting "Free Palestine" as the case concluded. This sentiment reflects a broader debate surrounding the legitimacy of direct action in political protests.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
While the prosecution presented a clear case of criminal damage, the defendants claimed their actions were lawful due to the alleged links between Pearson Engineering and military actions in Gaza. This divergence highlights the complexities of legal interpretations surrounding protest actions and the motivations behind them.
What's Next
The women are set to be sentenced on April 28, 2023, following the compilation of pre-sentence reports. The outcome of this case may influence future discussions on the boundaries of protest and civil disobedience in the context of political activism.
