THE Palestine Action activists acquitted of raiding a weapons factory should be retried, the Tories have demanded.
In a letter to the Director of Public Prosecutions, Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp urged prosecutors to try again after a jury failed to reach verdicts on criminal damage and assault occasioning grievous bodily harm.
The break-in at the Israeli-owned Elbit Systems factory near Bristol saw military equipment worth more than £1million wrecked — and a female officer struck with a sledgehammer, leaving her with a fractured spine.
Mr Philp warned the case risked “giving the green light to mob violence in pursuit of a political objective”.
He said: “I believe a retrial is necessary on these two charges because the jury could not reach a verdict.
“I believe it is in the public interest to proceed to a second trial and that there is sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction.”
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Labour MP David Taylor also called for a retrial.
He said: “It’s like viewing VAR footage of a defender punching a striker and the referee choosing not to send them off.
“The prosecution must push for a retrial so Sergeant Evan’s attackers are brought to justice.”
Samuel Corner, 23, Charlotte Head, 29, Leona Kamio, 30, Fateema Rajwani, 21, Zoe Rogers, 22, and Jordan Devlin, 31, were cleared of aggravated burglary over the August 2024 protest.
Antisemitism campaigners claimed “pressure was put on the jury” after posters mentioning acquitting someone “on moral grounds” were put up at bus stops in Woolwich.
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