Palestine Action
A prison van was allegedly used to break into an Elbit Systems defence factory in August 2024
A Palestine Action activist accused of breaking into an Israel-based defence firm’s UK site was “terrified”, a court has heard.
Zoe Rogers, 22, is one of six who allegedly attacked Elbit Systems’ Bristol factory with sledgehammers in the early hours of 6 August 2024.
Rogers, who was due to start university that autumn, said she took part to “destroy drones used to drop grenades”, jurors previously heard.
She is on trial at Woolwich Crown Court alongside Charlotte Head, 29, Samuel Corner, 23, Leona Kamio, 30, Fatema Rajwani, 21, and Jordan Devlin, 31, who are each accused of aggravated burglary, criminal damage and violent disorder.
In her closing speech on Monday, Audrey Mogan, defending, told jurors that Rogers was passionate about climate change.
“She taught herself A-level maths and biology when her mental health made it difficult,” Ms Mogan said.
Head and Kamio were involved in planning the action, and with Corner, Rajwani and Rogers they “smashed up” Elbit Systems’ equipment in the factory, including drones and computers, the court was told.
Jurors heard that shortly after the group entered the factory in a prison van, Rogers and Devlin were confronted by security guard Angelo Volante, who shouted at them.
Mogan told jurors: “You can see [in body-worn camera footage] from that moment she is terrified.”
She said: “The drones were no longer on her mind because she was taken aback, shocked, stressed and scared.
“She [Rogers] even told you, when she finally gets around to breaking a drone, all she could do was effectively hold the sledgehammer up and let it fall on it.”
‘Star Wars moment’
Devlin, 31, attempted to de-escalate interactions between security guards and the activists, jurors were told.
At one point Devlin says “something like ‘This is our Star Wars moment, Elbit are the empire'”, Andrew Morris, defending, told jurors.
Morris said it was a joke to try to reduce tension.
All six deny the counts against them, and Corner denies a further charge of causing police Sgt Kate Evans grievous bodily harm with intent.
The trial continues.