• Two Palestine Action activists were released after serving 3 months in prison for disrupting a Thales arms factory which supplies weapons to the Israeli military.
• Three members of the Thales Five remain incarcerated, with ongoing legal challenges to their sentences. Palestine Action continues to advocate for their release.
On Monday, 18 November, two members of the Palestine Action “Thales Five” were released from prison in Scotland after serving three months of their 12-month sentences. The remaining term of their sentence will now be served within the community, under restrictions such as electronic tagging.
These two activists, including lifelong campaigner Eva Simmons, were part of a team that occupied the Thales weapons factory in Govan, Glasgow, in June 2022. This bold act, which marked Palestine Action’s first operation in Scotland, resulted in the factory being shut down and cost Thales—a French arms conglomerate—over £1 million. The action targeted Thales due to its partnerships with Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest weapons manufacturer, and its direct role in supplying the Israeli military, which continues its campaign of brutal violence and genocide in Gaza.
Thales: A Key Player in the Global Arms Industry
Thales is one of the world’s largest arms manufacturers, producing missile systems, armored vehicles, and drones. The company collaborates closely with Elbit Systems and has been implicated in equipping Israel’s military apparatus, enabling occupation, apartheid, and systematic violence against Palestinians.
Despite allegations of external pressures, including Israeli interference in Scotland’s judicial process, the activists’ release is seen as a triumph for Palestine Action, which has expressed joy at their return while emphasising the importance of continued resistance.
The Fight for Justice Continues
Three members of the Thales Five remain imprisoned, including Stuart Bretherton and Calum Lacy, who recently challenged their sentences in court. While their appeal for immediate release was denied, their 12-month terms were reduced to 10 months following a hearing at the High Court of Justiciary in Edinburgh. The fifth activist, Sumaya Javaid, also remains incarcerated.
Currently, 14 Palestine Action activists are imprisoned in the UK, with five more held globally, all for engaging in direct actions aimed at exposing Western complicity in Israel’s genocidal policies and systematic violations of international law.
A spokesperson for Palestine Action hailed the courage of the released activists:
“We are proud to welcome back these two brave women, who, along with their comrades, opened a critical front in Scotland against the arms industry that enables Israel’s genocide. While governments remain complicit, and many look the other way, they acted with extraordinary bravery and resolve. They return as heroes.”
The release of these activists symbolises a significant moment in the ongoing campaign against arms manufacturers profiting from Israel’s military operations. Yet, for Palestine Action and its supporters, the struggle is far from over.
