Full Breakdown
Sledgehammer Attack at Elbit Systems UK Factory Leads to Ongoing Trial
4/26/2026, 11:16:25 AM
The Raid and the Sledgehammer Attack
On 6 August 2024 activists from the UK group Palestine Action entered the Elbit Systems factory near Bristol. Using sledgehammers, crowbars and fire-extinguishers, they smashed computers, drones and other equipment and sprayed the interior with red paint. While police Sergeant Kate Evans was on her knees attempting to arrest a fellow demonstrator, defendant Samuel Corner struck her in the back with a sledgehammer, fracturing her spine. Corner told the court he acted because he heard “someone screaming” and believed a participant was being seriously hurt. He later acknowledged the injury was extreme but said the response “seemed reasonable” at the moment.
Background: Gaza War, Palestine Action, and the Ban
The raid took place roughly ten months after the Oct 7 Hamas attack that sparked the Gaza war, a conflict that has intensified scrutiny of Israeli defence firms. Palestine Action, founded in 2020, has repeatedly targeted arms-manufacturing sites in the United Kingdom. In July 2025 the UK government banned the group after a separate intrusion at a Royal Air Force base; the High Court later ruled the proscription unlawful but allowed it to remain pending appeal.
Key Figures: Samuel Corner, Sergeant Kate Evans, and Co-defendants
- Samuel Corner, 23, former Oxford linguistics and philosophy student, the primary defendant.
- Sergeant Kate Evans, the injured police officer.
- Co-defendants: Charlotte Head (30), Leona Kamio (30), Fatema Rajwani (21), Zoe Rogers (22) and Jordan Devlin (31), all charged with criminal damage.
- Tom Wainwright, defence barrister representing Corner.
Data & Statistics
- Estimated property damage: ? £1 million (US $1.4 million).
- Injuries: Sergeant Evans suffered a fractured spine; Corner reported temporary blindness and facial pain after being sprayed with an incapacitant.
- Charges: Corner faces aggravated criminal damage, violent disorder and grievous bodily harm with intent; the other activists face criminal-damage counts.
Official Statements & Responses
Prosecutors allege Corner intentionally swung the sledgehammer, causing grievous bodily harm. Police described the injury as severe and noted the officer remains on restricted duty. The defence maintains Corner acted spontaneously to protect a perceived victim and denies any pre-planned violence. After an earlier jury acquitted the group of aggravated burglary, the court ordered a retrial on criminal-damage and violent-disorder charges.
Criticism & Opposition
Police representatives, several UK lawmakers and Jewish communal organisations publicly condemned the raid, labeling it “dangerous” and “unacceptable.” They expressed alarm that the action targeted a defence contractor linked to Israel’s war effort and warned of the broader risk of escalating confrontations at industrial sites.
Verbatim Quotes
- “It seemed reasonable to do something, and I had to act quickly,” — Samuel Corner, Defendant
- “I would never want to seriously hurt anyone.” — Samuel Corner, Defendant
- “To protect. I heard someone screaming… and I thought she was being seriously hurt by security.” — Samuel Corner, Defendant
- “We intended to destroy weapons and things needed to make weapons which we believed were going to be used to cause death and destruction.” — Samuel Corner, Defendant
- “I immediately couldn’t open my eyes or see. Luckily I could walk away and not hit anything but there was just all-consuming pain in my face.” — Samuel Corner, Defendant
What’s Next
The retrial is scheduled to continue next week. A conviction could result in custodial sentences for criminal damage, violent disorder or grievous bodily harm. The legal status of Palestine Action’s ban remains under appeal, leaving the group’s future activities uncertain.
