Palestine Action activist compared to suffragettes in court
Charlotte Head, who is accused of taking part in a break-in at Israeli defence firm, is called a ‘remarkable woman’ by her barrister
… Charlotte Head, 29, is on trial at Woolwich crown court, south-east London, accused of being involved in a “meticulously organised” protest at the Elbit Systems factory in Filton, near Bristol, on 6 August 2024.
… On Thursday in closing submissions, Head’s barrister, Rajiv Menon KC, detailed his client’s years of activism, including her work with refugees in Calais. He said the suffragettes were celebrated publicly for their heroism but in their time were accused of being “a threat to the social order” and “unladylike, feral, aggressive, violent” by MPs and in the mainstream press.
“The reality, of course, is very different,” Menon told the court. “The suffragettes were remarkable women from all walks of life united in their hope, their despair, their defiance and their dedication.
“Charlotte Head is also a remarkable woman and I say that without any reservation. This is not something that lawyers defending clients in criminal trials often say … we are taught to avoid the personal. But it must be said in this case, not only because it is true but also because it is relevant.”
Menon described Elbit Systems, of which Elbit Systems UK is a subsidiary, as a “dreadful company” that “has played a critical role in the killing of tens of thousands of Palestinians” but is “wined and dined” in the corridors of power.
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