Pro-Palestinian campaigners in Shenstone 'drone' protest have charges dropped

Bosses at Elbit Systems, who own UAV Engines in Shenstone, secured a High Court injunction imposing a 250metre exclusion zone around the site following a previous protest last year when activists scaled the roof of the building forcing it to close.

But on July 6 more than 100 campaigners arrived outside the factory. They claimed the factory supplied drone parts to the Middle East, enabling Israeli attacks on Gaza.

A total of 19 people were arrested and charged by police for breaching the imposed order.

But since then the injunction has been overturned and the Crown Prosecution Service case against the campaigners has collapsed.

Hilary Smith, one of those who was charged, said: "The Crown Prosecution Service has finally conceded they had no case.

"Taxpayers' money has been wasted on a police operation and prosecution, all based on a bogus injunction.

"We protested peacefully."

The latest protest came a year after more than 2,000 people, including around 550 children, were killed in Israeli drone strikes on the Gaza strip.

On the day of the demonstration Staffordshire Police formed a wall of officers across Lynn Lane.

Some campaigners secured themselves to concrete blocks in the middle of the road, which was closed, while others tried to force through the blockade resulting in occasional heated scenes.

But in the main the protest was peaceful.

In the wake of the charges being dropped against the 19, protest groups warned that UAV could expect further demonstrations.

Ryvka Barnard, from War on Want, said: "It would have been a scandal for people to have been made criminals for protesting the manufacture of weapons. This is a victory for the right to protest.

Elbit Systems did not wish to comment in relation to the protestors' allegations when approached by the Express & Star.