An activist for the Palestine Action terrorist group was filmed bludgeoning a police officer so hard that she is still severely disabled nearly four months after the incident, prosecutors revealed on Monday.
The officer, Sgt. Kate Evans, was left unable to drive, shower or dress herself after the Aug. 6 beating by one of six Palestine Action activists who broke into the Elbit Systems factory near Bristol, according to the indictments against the activists, who went on trial Monday at the Woolwich Crown Court in London.
The activists came armed with weapons and pyrotechnics, the court heard.
Samuel Corner, 23, was allegedly filmed beating Evans, though he denies having hit her, according to the BBC. He is standing trial with Charlotte Head, 29, Leona Kamio, 30, Fatema Rajwani, 21, Zoe Rogers, 22, and Jordan Devlin, 31. They deny all charges of aggravated burglary, criminal damage and violent disorder, the BBC reported.
The British government outlawed Palestine Action, which was established in 2020, and declared it to be a terrorist organization in July following a series of similar break-ins and what the group called “occupations” of firms with Israeli ties.
Palestine Action co-founder Huda Ammori has submitted an appeal with London’s High Court to reverse the ban and designation. On Wednesday, the High Court was scheduled to begin looking into her legal action, which is taking place separately from the six activists’ trial.
However, if her appeal is accepted, that ruling could be beneficial to the defense of the six activists.
More than 2,000 people have been arrested for holding signs in support of the group, with over 200 charged for expressing support for a proscribed organization, according to the BBC.
During the trial, Evans said she was trying to handcuff a female defendant at the scene when Corner hit her with a sledgehammer. “A massive shock vibrated through my whole body. I had no idea what it was until I turned around and saw a male with a sledgehammer behind me,” the BBC quoted Evans as saying during the trial. “It was a shock, I felt frozen. It was almost like being in a movie; everything was going so fast. It just extended through my whole body down to my legs. I felt frozen. I was stunned to begin with. I didn’t know what it was. I remember looking around and seeing the male with the sledgehammer behind me.”
Evans’ colleague, Peter Adams, said he saw Corner hit Evans twice in the back.
“I remember her screaming in pain and she’s fallen to the floor on her back,” Adams said.
In a statement, Evans said she was suffering “severe pain” in her back and legs, needing help with basic tasks like getting in the shower or into bed, and being unable to drive or sleep.
