In August 2024, six actionists drove a modified prison van into Elbit’s research, development, and manufacturing hub in Filton, Bristol. Once inside, the six dismantled Israeli weapons, including killer quadcopter drones used by the Israeli military against Palestinian civilians in the genocide. The action allegedly cost Israel’s largest weapons firm over £2 million in damage.

After the six were arrested at the scene, four more were rounded up by armed counter-terrorism police, in different parts of the country. Whilst under arrest, each of the 10 were detained without charge for approximately a week and interrogated repeatedly under the Terrorism Act. Each was eventually charged with non-terror offences.

In November, there were further raids, with anti-terror laws once again being misused, and 8 more activists subsequently remanded in custody, in relation to the same Filton action, taking the total to 18. Finally in July 2025, a further 6 people were arrested and remanded to prison for the same action. They became the Filton 24.

On 4 February the first six activists to be tried won a stunning victory at Woolwich Crown Court, when the jury failed to convict them of a single charge. They were acquitted of aggravated burglary, the most serious charge, and there were no verdicts returned on the other charges of criminal damage, violent disorder (except 3 acquittals) and Sam Corner's charge of GBH. All the prisoners were given bail except for Sam Corner, despite not having a single conviction.

The 24 now face a round of trials and a retrial for the first six, as the state continues to persecute them for dismantling Israeli weapons used to commit genocide.

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