Arabic version: إدانة محتجين مؤيدين لفلسطين بتهمة التسبب في أضرار جنائية في مصنع

Three pro-Palestine protesters have been found guilty of causing criminal damage at Pearson Engineering in Newcastle. The incident, which took place on 18 February 2025, involved the protesters smashing a sign and spraying red paint at the factory, claiming it was linked to Israeli military operations. According to BBC News, the women argued that their actions were lawful as they aimed to prevent weapons from being sent to Palestine.

Hollie Mildenhall, 25, Georgia Coote, 28, and Summer Oxlade, 29, staged an eight-hour stand-off on the factory roof, during which they caused significant disruption. The court heard that Mildenhall and Coote climbed onto the roof while Oxlade dumped rubble from a truck in the entrance. The damage was estimated at approximately £6,800, leading to a one-day halt in production.

The trial revealed that Pearson Engineering is owned by Rafael Advanced Defence Systems, an Israeli state-owned company. However, a company representative testified that no Tyneside-built creations had been supplied to Israel. Prosecutor Michael Bunch stated that while the protesters were motivated by compassion, their actions were unlawful and the damage caused was excessive.

The women expressed their belief that the factory was complicit in what they termed a genocide and claimed that their protest was a desperate attempt to raise awareness and halt operations. They were released on bail and are set to be sentenced at a later date. The jury took two hours and 15 minutes to reach a unanimous verdict on the charges.