Judge Rules Burnley Barclays Activists Will Not Be Sentenced as Terrorists
Five Palestine Action activists convicted of damaging a Barclays branch in Burnley will not receive sentences based on a terrorism connection, a judge ruled on August 21, 2026.
In short
- Five Palestine Action activists convicted of damaging a Barclays branch in Burnley will not receive sentences based on a terrorism connection, a judge ruled on August 21, 2026.
Five Palestine Action activists convicted of vandalising a Barclays branch in Burnley will not be sentenced as terrorists, a judge ruled on Friday, August 21, 2026.
Brendon O’Hagan, 28; Amanda Kelly, 31; Hmeera Atiqnisar, 31; Mohammed Malik, 28; and Alma Yaniv, 70, were found guilty in June of causing damage valued at more than £200,000. The August 2024 protest involved broken windows and red paint thrown at the Lancashire bank branch.
The activists targeted Barclays over its connection to Israeli weapons manufacturer Elbit Systems. Barclays said it held Elbit shares only for client-driven transactions and was neither an investor nor shareholder in the company. The bank was reported in October 2024 to have sold all of the shares.
After the June convictions, Judge Philip Parry told prosecution and defence lawyers that he intended to consider whether the offences had a terrorist connection. The possibility was raised after the jury returned its criminal verdict and was not part of the question the jurors decided.
Friday’s ruling means the five will be sentenced for the criminal damage convictions without the court treating their conduct as terrorism-connected offending.
The decision concerns sentencing classification only. It does not overturn the convictions or determine the legal status of Palestine Action in separate proceedings.
