Filton 18: Victims of UK-'Israel' crackdown on anti-Elbit protests
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Leaked files expose how UK officials worked with "Israel" to suppress protests against Elbit Systems.
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Aylesbury Crown Court refused to let supporters inside the public gallery for the hearing of two actionists who disrupted the supply of Israeli military hardware on May 19, 2025. (@Pal_action)
Leaked documents reviewed by The Grayzone have uncovered a wide-ranging effort by the British government to coordinate with Israeli officials in prosecuting members of Palestine Action, a direct-action group targeting Elbit Systems, the weapons manufacturer linked to war crimes in Gaza.
The revelations point to systematic UK-"Israel" collusion against Palestine Action, with activists charged under terror legislation for acts unrelated to terrorism.
Among the most striking findings is a message from Nicola Smith, head of International Law at the UK Attorney General’s Office (AGO), to "Israel’s" deputy ambassador, Daniela Grudsky Ekstein, in which Smith shares the personal contact details of British prosecutors and counter-terror officials, specifically in relation to Palestine Action cases.
Filton 10
This exchange, dated September 9, 2024, came just two weeks after 10 activists, now known as the Filton 10, were imprisoned for dismantling drones at Elbit’s factory in Filton.
The drones were reportedly used in attacks on civilians in Gaza. The activists were prosecuted under politicized counter-terror laws, prompting condemnation from UN experts, who warned that the UK was misusing anti-terror legislation against non-violent protest.
Efforts to shield Israeli officials from arrest in the UK
Another document shows the AGO reassuring Israeli officials that the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) had "strengthened procedural safeguards" around issuing private arrest warrants. This follows a 2009 case where former Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni canceled a UK trip over an arrest warrant tied to "Israel’s" aggression on Gaza.
Since then, Tel Aviv has pushed to obtain “special mission” certificates for its visiting officials, providing immunity from arrest. Three such certificates have been issued during the current war on Gaza, according to Declassified UK.
Three months after Smith’s email, a second wave of arrests brought the total to 18 activists, now known as the Filton 18. These individuals have been detained for over 182 days without trial, in conditions typically reserved for "terror suspects". Despite the CPS’ own conclusion that Palestine Action does not meet the threshold for proscription, the UK government appears to be leveraging legal loopholes to justify its actions.
Prosecutors recently announced that “terrorism connections” would be considered in the case of 10 more activists who targeted Elbit supplier Instro Precision, despite the fact that the charges, aggravated burglary, criminal damage, and violent disorder, are not terrorism offenses under UK law.
Activists, families, and UN experts decry 'abuse of process'
Palestine Action cofounder Huda Amori condemned the state’s response as “politically motivated” and influenced by Israeli interests.
“There is clear evidence showing continuous political and foreign interference in Palestine Action cases,” she said.
“Any violation of judicial independence is an abuse of process under the rule of law,” Amori stressed.
The mother of Zoe, one of the Filton 18, told The Grayzone, “Zoe took direct action against Elbit Systems because she could not bear to see her country being complicit in a genocide… Now we know it’s that same unholy alliance between ‘Israel’ and the UK that conspired to use UK counter terror powers against Zoe and the Filton 18.”
Elbit, UK officials, and state agencies in coordinated talks
The Elbit Systems protests in the UK have triggered high-level meetings between British officials and arms executives. In March 2022, then-Home Secretary Priti Patel met with Elbit UK CEO Martin Fausset, promising action against protesters. A Home Office note revealed that officials had been actively coordinating with police about Palestine Action, raising serious concerns about the independence of UK law enforcement.
In 2023, UK and Israeli officials discussed a proposed “joint declaration” between their justice ministries. Despite being outside the AGO’s remit, officials assured "Israel" that the Attorney General would be “delighted” to meet with her counterpart.
The December 2023 National Security Act, introduced by Patel, has provided the legal scaffolding for these prosecutions. Critics argue the law was designed to suppress Palestine Action and similar dissent. Despite its expansive powers, the activists’ charges remain rooted in non-violent civil disobedience, such as dismantling military hardware used against civilians in Gaza.
Behind layers of redacted emails and backchannel diplomacy lies a clear pattern: British legal institutions working hand-in-glove with a foreign power to silence dissent and protect arms exports. As the Filton 18 await trial, international observers and human rights advocates are sounding the alarm over what appears to be a coordinated campaign of political repression, carried out under the guise of national security, The Grayzone concluded.
