Five Activists Face Trial in Germany Over 2024 Elbit Systems Break-In

Five activists linked to Palestine Action Germany went on trial this month at the higher regional court in Stuttgart-Stammheim. Prosecutors charge them with belonging to a criminal organization under section 129 of the German Criminal Code and with causing roughly €1 million in damage during a September 2024 break-in at an Elbit Systems facility in Ulm.

The defendants, two British citizens, one Spanish, one Irish, and one German national, have been held in pre-trial detention since September. Court proceedings are taking place inside Stammheim prison, the same venue used for 1970s trials of Red Army Faction members.

Public prosecutors argue that Palestine Action Germany meets the legal definition of a criminal organization because its activities were aimed at committing serious offenses. Defense lawyers counter that the primary act was property damage and that the criminal-organization charge is disproportionate.

The activists also face separate counts for using symbols of Hamas, which is designated a terrorist organization in Germany. Prosecutors say the defendants smashed computer screens, measuring equipment, and other electronic devices inside the Ulm site.

Families of the defendants have criticized the conditions at Stammheim, stating that one defendant spent 22 hours a day alone in a cell. The British Embassy in Berlin confirmed it is providing consular support to the two British nationals and remains in contact with local authorities. The trial, which began in late April, continues. If convicted, the defendants face up to five years in prison.