Four Palestine Action activists were sentenced as terrorists on Friday despite having only been convicted of criminal charges. They have also been jailed.
This marks the first time in British legal history that a designation has been applied to direct-action protesters who were not convicted of terror offences or of intentionally causing violence.
The activists, Charlotte Head, Samuel Corner, Leona Kamio, and Fatema Rajwani, known as the "Filton 4", were convicted in May over their action at an Elbit Systems site in Bristol, UK, a company denounced over its complicity in Israel's ongoing war on Gaza.
Head and Kamio for six years, and Rajwani was jailed for five years and eight months. Corner was jailed for eight years and eight months, with five years in a "special custodial sentence" and three years and eight months' normal sentence, meaning the disapplication of early release provisions, additional 15-year notification requirements, on the grounds of a "terrorist connection".
The four were not ordered to pay compensation, but the company and the injured police officer could seek compensation.
The four were convicted of criminal damage in May, while Corner was also found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm. A further two activists, Zoe Rogers and Jordan Devlin, were acquitted.
Justice Judge Johnson says the attack meets the legal definition of a "terrorist connection", claiming that one of the activists' purposes was to influence the UK government, referring to the test for what constitutes terrorism. Judge Johnson, who has been accused of having a bias against the activists, said the activists had a "terrorist connection" and the damage caused by them during the raid was "not trivial or minor" and aimed to either stop Elbit from operating or "cause the government to prevent it operating".
The judge also dismissed Corner's defence of self-defence against police officer, Sergeant Kate Evans during the raid.
This comes as it was revealed that the judge expected to add a " terrorist connection " to the Filton 4's charges under section 69 of the Sentencing Act in May, a decision that was kept secret from the jury.
The move was met with fierce condemnation from lawyers, activists and healthcare workers, some of whom worked in the enclave during Israel's war.
The terror sentencing would entail extension in jail sentences, restrictions on early release, and individuals would be registered as terrorists for up to 15 years.
During the hearing, 72 protesters were arrested on Friday outside Woolwich Crown Court, where the activists are being sentenced.
Over 200 people sat outside the court, holding signs which said: "SAVING LIVES IS NOT TERRORISM" and "I SUPPORT PALESTINE ACTION".
The protesters were arrested for supporting Palestine Action, which was proscribed as a terrorist group in June 2025.
In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said: "A number of arrests have been made during a protest in south east London.
"Seventy-two people have been arrested for supporting a proscribed terrorist organisation – Palestine Action – at a demonstration outside Woolwich Crown Court.
"All are currently in police custody."
Protesters also held signs saying "Free Palestine", "Direct Action Saves Lives" and "Direct Action is not Terrorism".
The group was proscribed as a terrorist organisation on 5 July last year under the Terrorism Act 2000 following their protest at a Royal Air Force site in Brize Norton, the UK's largest air base, causing damage to military aircraft.
The High Court ruled the UK government's decision to be unlawful in February 2026; the government are appealing the decision, with the verdict to be announced on Monday.