Four Palestine Action activists charged over RAF Brize Norton break-in
Four pro-Palestine activists appeared before a London court on Thursday after counter-terrorism police charged them with breaking into Britain’s largest military airbase.
Last month, members of the group Palestine Action filmed themselves entering RAF Brize Norton on electric scooters, where they spray-painted two Voyager aircraft with red paint.
The Ministry of Defence alleges the activists caused £7 million worth of criminal damage.
The four defendants, aged between 22 and 35, were denied bail at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in central London.
Earlier, Counter Terrorism Policing South East charged them with conspiracy to commit criminal damage and conspiracy to enter a prohibited place knowingly for a purpose prejudicial to the safety or interests of the UK.
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The individuals who appeared in court are Amy Gardiner-Gibson, 29; Jony Cink, 24; Daniel Jeronymides-Norie, 35; and Lewie Chiaramello, 22.
District Judge Daniel Steinberg denied bail to the four defendants over concerns that they would commit further "offences while on bail." The four activists will be remanded in custody until 18 July, when they will appear before the Central Criminal Court for a plea hearing.
During the hearing, the court ejected supporters of the four defendants after they began chanting "Free, free Palestine" as the defendants left the court.
Palestine Action said it targeted the airbase because flights leave daily from there "for RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, a base used for military operations in Gaza and across the Middle East".
The activists' court appearance comes just a day after British MPs voted to ban Palestine Action under anti-terror legislation.
Palestine Action has condemned the decision to proscribe it as a terrorist group and is appealing the move before the High Court on Friday.
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