Court hears Palestine Action defendant suffered from emotional turmoil before Elbit raid
Court hears Palestine Action defendant suffered from emotional turmoil before Elbit raid Submitted by Katherine Hearst on Wed, 08/05/2026 - 10:08 Judge Patrick Field has sent jurors out to deliberate following the weeks-long trial over a raid on an Elbit Systems factory near Bristol in August 2024 Julija Brigadirova is among eight defendants facing criminal damage and violent disorder charges in…
A Palestine Action defendant, Julija Brigadirova, suffered from emotional turmoil prior to an Elbit Systems factory raid, a court heard. Brigadirova, along with seven others, faces criminal damage and violent disorder charges in connection with the August 2024 raid near Bristol. Her lawyer, Tom Copeland, argued that the defendant's mental health was a significant factor in her alleged absence from the evidence of the planned action.
Brigadirova, 33, was driven to Bristol by her friend, Jasmine Cruickshank, who is also a defendant. The pair took a selfie upon arrival at Cruickshank's father's house. Copeland dismissed the prosecution's claims that Brigadirova was a "key player" in the raid, stating that the evidence presented by the prosecution was not sufficient to support this assertion.
The defendant, who was kept in hospital for four days following a suicide attempt, denied the charges.
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