Full Breakdown
Judge Rules Barclays Five Will Not Receive Terrorism Sentences
8/21/2026, 9:56:32 PM
Core Event
Five members of the direct-action group Palestine Action—Brendon O’Hagan, Amanda Kelly, Hmeera Atiqnisar, Mohammed Malik and Alma Yaniv (70)—were convicted in mid-2024 of criminal damage after smashing windows and spraying red paint on a Barclays branch in Burnley, Lancashire. The damage was assessed at roughly £212,000. A Preston Crown Court judge ruled that, although the damage was substantial, it did not meet the high threshold required for a terrorism-related sentence. The activists will be sentenced for criminal damage on September 4, but will avoid the additional restrictions that accompany a terrorism conviction.
Background & Context
Palestine Action has targeted financial institutions that hold shares in Israel’s defence sector. Barclays was singled out because of its historic shareholding in Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest arms manufacturer. The campaign intensified after Barclays announced in late 2024 that it had sold its Elbit shares, though the bank said it was merely a facilitator of client-driven transactions.
In July 2025 the UK Home Secretary proscribed Palestine Action under the Terrorism Act 2000, placing the organisation on the same legal footing as al-Qaeda and ISIS. The proscription has led to more than 3,500 arrests of supporters, according to the rights group Defend our Juries.
Data & Statistics
- Number of activists convicted: 5
- Estimated damage to the Barclays branch: ? £212,000 (about $290,000)
- Year of the Burnley protest: 2024 (summer)
- Year of Palestine Action’s proscription: 2025
- Reported arrests of supporters since proscription: > 3,500
Official Statements & Responses
Judge Altham explained that the offence, while serious, was not directed at “sensitive property” such as an arms manufacturer, a factor that previously justified terrorism sentencing. The Crown Prosecution Service argued that the evidence could support a finding of a “terrorist connection,” but the court rejected that view.
Amnesty International UK welcomed the decision, stating that no one should face harsher punishment merely because their protest targets what they deem a genocide-linked industry. The organization called for the proscription to be lifted and for an end to the use of sweeping counter-terror powers against direct-action protesters.
Raj Chada, a criminal lawyer who has defended Palestine Action activists, noted that the application of terrorism-connection laws to the Burnley case appears “very, very unusual.”
Barclays has not issued a public comment specific to the Burnley case, but in 2024 the bank acknowledged facing staff intimidation, vandalism and online harassment linked to protests over its defence-sector links.
Criticism & Opposition
Human-rights groups argue that extending terrorism legislation to property-damage protests risks eroding the right to protest. Defend our Juries described the proscription as an “illiberal overreach” and urged the ruling Labour Party to reverse it.
Verbatim Quotes
- “To the best of our knowledge, the only time this law was used in relation to direct action protest groups was against those convicted at Filton,” — Raj Chada
- “We now need to see the proscription against Palestine Action lifted and an end to the misuse of sweeping counter-terror powers against direct action protesters.” — Amnesty International UK
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ slightly on the precise valuation of the damage: The Guardian cites “damage exceeding £200,000,” while Al Jazeera and 5Pillars specify £212,000. No source provides an official breakdown of the damage items.
What’s Next
The five activists are scheduled to be sentenced for criminal damage on September 4. Their sentences will be shorter than they would have been under terrorism legislation, and they will not be subject to the post-release notification requirements that accompany a terrorism conviction.
