Story perspectives

Activists crash prison van into Elbit plant, convicted of terrorism-linked assault

5/13/2026

Summary

Story summary

Activists rammed a prison van into Elbit Systems’ Bristol plant and broke in with sledgehammers.
Charlotte Head, Fatema Rajwani and Samuel Corner were convicted, with Samuel Corner causing grievous bodily harm by fracturing sergeant Kate Evans’s spine, and sentencing set for 12 June 2026.
Judge Justice Johnson ruled the offences had a terrorist connection, permitting a terrorism-based sentence despite a High Court decision, with police arresting supporters charged with terrorism-related placard offences.

History

Historical Context

After the 1970 Greenwich Village townhouse explosion killed three Weather Underground members, the group shifted to bombings that targeted property—such as the 1972 Pentagon blast that caused tens of thousands of dollars in damage and prompted FBI investigations and new security protocols that modern activists challenging defense manufacturers, like the 2026 raid on an Israeli plant, now confront.

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Story summary

Activists rammed a prison van into Elbit Systems’ Bristol plant and broke in with sledgehammers.
Charlotte Head, Fatema Rajwani and Samuel Corner were convicted, with Samuel Corner causing grievous bodily harm by fracturing sergeant Kate Evans’s spine, and sentencing set for 12 June 2026.
Judge Justice Johnson ruled the offences had a terrorist connection, permitting a terrorism-based sentence despite a High Court decision, with police arresting supporters charged with terrorism-related placard offences.

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