Lively protest outside the court to support group who sprayed red paint at a branch of Barclays Bank
By Camilla Royle
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Saturday 22 August 2026
Protesters gathered outside the court to support the Barclays Five
Palestine activists in Lancashire were relieved to hear on Friday that a judge had decided not to sentence the Barclays Five as terrorists.
They were supported during their court hearing by the wider Palestine movement. From outside Preston Crown Court, Brian reported to Socialist Worker that there was a “lively and noisy protest” of around 150 people.
They brought banners reading, “Opposing genocide is not terrorism”, “Lancaster stands with the Barclays Five” and “We are protesters, not terrorists”. Several people dressed as Suffragettes.
“On the demonstration were protesters from Bradford, Sheffield, Liverpool, Lancaster, Morecambe and local Unite Community trade unionists from Preston,” said Brian.
“A big roar went up when it was announced that the court had ruled that the Barclays Five will not be sentenced as ‘terrorists’.”
At the end of the protest police arrested seven peaceful activists for carrying placards supporting Palestine Action.
The Barclays Five, Brendon O’Hagan, Amanda Kelly, Hmeera Atiqnisar, Mohammed Malik, and Alma Yaniv, were found guilty of criminal damage in June this year.
In August 2024, they sprayed red paint at a branch of Barclays Bank in Burnley to raise awareness of its role in the genocide in Gaza. Barclays at the time held shares in Israeli weapons firm Elbit Systems, which it then sold in October that year.
After the group were found guilty, a judge threatened to add a “terrorism connection” to their sentence.
It is a chilling reminder of the deepening crackdown against people who take action for Palestine.
The jury were not told the group could be sentenced as terrorists when they delivered their verdict. And their actions came before the proscription last year of Palestine Action under the Terrorism Act 2000.
In June, four members of the Filton 25 had a terrorism connection added at sentencing in similar circumstances and were handed lengthy prison sentences.
However, Judge Altham ruled on Friday that the actions of the Barclays Five didn’t warrant a terrorism sentence. They await sentencing next month.
A statement from the Barclays Five read, “The proscription of Palestine Action, the arrests of over 3,500 people under the Terrorism Act for holding signs and the sentencing of direct action activists as terrorists, are all tools being used by the state to protect the Israeli weapons industry and continue its role in the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
“The state is doing everything possible to deter direct action for Palestine precisely because it has been so effective against the Israeli war machine, but we could never regret trying to stop a genocide.”