An unauthorised poster placed in a bus stop advertisement panel near Woolwich Arsenal Station is to be removed urgently by the billboard operator JCDecaux, after the company was alerted by UK Lawyers for Israel.
The poster, apparently installed by supporters of Palestine Action, expressed support for activists currently on trial at Woolwich Crown Court. This is where six defendants are facing charges including aggravated burglary, criminal damage and violent disorder.
The case relates to events on 6 August 2024, when a group of Palestine Action activists broke into the Elbit Systems facility at Aztec West / Filton near Bristol.
According to reports, the activists used a repurposed former prison van to crash through perimeter fencing. They then entered the site armed with sledgehammers and crowbars, damaging equipment — including what were alleged to be quadcopter drones — and spraying red paint around the premises.
Damage has been estimated at over £1 million.
A violent confrontation occurred between the activists, security personnel and police officers. One police officer was reportedly struck with a sledgehammer and suffered a serious injury.
Six activists were arrested at the scene. Subsequent coordinated police operations resulted in additional arrests across the country, with the wider group of defendants becoming known as the “Filton 24.”
The current six-week trial concerns the activists apprehended at the site. One defendant, Samuel Corner, faces an additional charge of grievous bodily harm with intent, relating to the alleged sledgehammer attack on the police officer.
The unauthorised poster’s location — close to the court — is seen as a deliberate attempt to influence those attending the trial and potentially even members of the jury, prompting calls for its immediate removal.
A UKLFI spokesperson said: “Unauthorised posters of this kind risk misleading the public and undermining the integrity of ongoing legal proceedings. We are pleased that JCDecaux acted swiftly once alerted. It is essential that advertising spaces are not misused to influence trials or promote unlawful activity.”