US EditionActivists accused of raiding Israeli weapons factory face trial in Germany
Prosecutors say the five activists caused more than $1.17 million in damage and acted with anti-Semitic intent, while defense lawyers call it civil disobedience.
- On Monday, the trial of five European nationals began in Stuttgart over an alleged September 8, 2025, break-in at an Elbit Systems factory in Ulm, where prosecutors accuse the group of causing €1 million in property damage.
- Authorities charged the defendants under Section 129, a statute typically reserved for organized crime, alleging membership in 'Palestine Action Germany' and claiming the raid involved anti-Semitic intent and symbols linked to Hamas.
- Their 11-strong defense team argues the activists are 'human rights defenders' whose actions constituted 'an act of civil disobedience' against war crimes, while defense lawyer Benjamin Dusberg contends the state is attempting to 'make an example' of them.
- Defendants have spent over seven months in high-security pre-trial detention, often held in 23-hour solitary confinement, leading families and lawyers to express concern regarding conditions described as 'punitive detention.'
- This high-profile case marks a significant escalation in Germany's crackdown on Palestine solidarity movements, as critics argue the prosecution equates 'legitimate civil society engagement' with organized crime, potentially chilling freedom of expression rights.
18 Articles
18 Articles
Five defendants are said to have invaded an Israeli armaments company and caused millions of damage there. Their lawyers criticize the court at the start of the trial and force an interruption of the trial with an action.
In 2025, five people allegedly caused one million euros in damages at an Israeli arms company in Ulm. The trial began with turbulent scenes, and the judge adjourned the proceedings.
The attack on an Israeli armaments company in Ulm has caused a lot of attention. The situation in the courtroom escalates for the start of the trial: spectators cheer, lawyers blow up the trial.
In Stuttgart, five activists are on trial, who are said to have broken into an Israeli armaments company. First, viewers disturb the process, then the defenders leave the courtroom demonstrably.
Pro-Palestinian activists tried in German over break-in at Elbit-linked site
The activists allegedly broke into a German subsidiary of an Israeli defense company to protest Berlin's support for Israel during the Gaza war. They were arrested at the site without resisting and have spent months in pre-trial detention
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