Judge Johnson was promoted due to links with the security state.
This is the latest phase of attack on due process as the security state completes the capture of all important institutions.
Rajiv Menon KC has established himself as the leading resistor in times of genocide
Cripes. Perhaps the jury in this case saw Mr Justice Johnson whacking the Filton 4 with terrorism sentences despite their jury not convicting them of terrorist offences. And the jury in this case thought “We’re not having any of that!”
It is going to be very, very funny if - after totally losing the plot about a jury having the right to refuse to convict - Johnson is the cause of loads of other juries refusing to convict.
Despite sending four Palestine Action activists away to prison last week with sentences totalling 32 years, Mr Justice Johnson is still hounding their lead barrister Mr Menon, who was summoned to the High Court this morning to face a new application for Contempt of Court. Rajiv Menon KC won an appeal last month that quashed earlier contempt proceedings on procedural grounds.
The allegations arise from a powerful defence speech he made in the first Filton 6 trial in January which was first exclusively published by Real Media. Read at https://t.co/0EkpOQiiwe
Today, Judge Johnson brought the matter back to the court and heard new submissions from Tom Little KC, Counsel for the CPS and from Adrian Waterman KC acting for Mr Menon. The defence argued that the CPS had no standing in the case according to Criminal Procedure rules, other than if the court or the Attorney General had appointed them as an ‘advocate’ to guide the court. In this instance, they were there in a prosecutorial role and had no jurisdiction to do so.
Mr Waterman pointed out there was no evidence that Judge Johnson had actually instigated contempt proceedings during the Filton trial, and instead had invited the Crown to do so.
Mr Justice Johnson reserved judgment and said his decision will be delivered "as soon as possible".
Show trials won't prevent resistance against genocide going global...
"Activists are accused over a 2025 action targeting facilities belonging to Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems, which they said was intended to disrupt weapons production linked to Israel’s war on Gaza."
“What we’ve seen today is the collapse of what we used to call the independence of the judiciary!”
Our head of public advocacy, Anas Mustapha, speaks live outside of the Royal Courts of Justice as the Courts of Appeals back Palestine Action ban and expose UK complicity with genocide.
This proscription is the product of two decades of the Islamophobic War on Terror.
We must abolish terror laws, to end proscription and free Palestine!
LET THE ESCALATION BEGIN
WARNING - Expressing support for Palestine Action in this way is a breach of Section 12 of the UK Terrorism Act. This comes with significant risk of arrest and prosecution, and could lead to home raids and up to 14 years imprisonment.
A BOLD 🧵
I will appeal to the Supreme Court and take it up to the European Court of Human Rights, if needs be.
However, we clearly can not rely on the legal system which completely stitched up the Filton case, and now the Palestine Action ban.
This fight can only be won by the people.
The second trial, with eight of the Filton 25, has begun today at the Old Bailey.
However, security are denying entry to all the family members and loved ones, demanding they have two forms of ID.
This rule has never been used before, and is clearly an intimidation tactic.
No, they didn’t.
One of them, Sam Corner, was found to have injured Sgt Evans without intent.
There was no such accusation against any of the others.
Kemi Badenoch committed contempt of court on live television during their trial.
Values from our settler colonies are coming home to roost.
End the settler colonial project in Palestine before the Israel First lobby builds digital cages for us all.
BREAKING: Under-fire judge live-streamed a "show trial" ruling to embellish the persecution of four of the Filton 25 for destroying genocidal weapons destined for Gaza.
The judge, who represented law enforcement throughout his legal career, deployed Islamophobic terror laws and sentenced Charlotte Head (6 years), Samuel Corner (8 years and 8 months), Leona Kamio (6 years), and Fatema Zainab Rajwani (5 years and 8 months) for their brave action at an Elbit Systems factory, where they dismantled 40 military weapons, including deadly quadcopters, destined for use in the Gaza genocide.
The four took courageous action to end Britain's complicity in the genocide. Yet throughout their trial, jurors were prevented from hearing key evidence about the purpose of their actions, the role of Elbit Systems, or that a guilty verdict could result in terrorism-related sentencing.
The case has become one of the most manipulated prosecutions in recent memory.
Free the Filton 25 and abolish terror laws!
https://t.co/UEM4idJ9HD
Watching Zionist shills freak out that a juror can talk honestly about a trial after it is complete is the only real silver lining to an otherwise very dark cloud.
Jurors absolutely should complain about having crucial facts/context hidden from them.
The WHOLE truth?
From Nelson Mandela, to Guantanamo to Filton 25: ‘terror’ labels are meaningless.
After 20 years of Islamophobic terror laws, today people from all walks of life unite to reject them!
Our Senior Director, Moazzam Begg shares his personal experience of imprisonment under terror laws at the protest for the Filton four.
Direct Action is not terrorism.
Free the Filton 25!
Colonial counterinsurgency policies come home to roost.....
"Being in court yesterday felt akin to witnessing a colonial crime: punishing activists with terrorism offences in order to set a precedent that taking direct action to stop a UK-backed genocide will not be tolerated."
More reasons to Defund The Police.
Policing isn't designed to help ordinary people. It's a militia force for ruling elite to weaponise whenever their monopoly on power is threatened by people they rule.
The first four of the Filton25 actionists destroyed more than 40 genocide enabling weapons in only 20 minutes!
Their courage in defending Palestine shows us the sacrifices needed to end genocide and stand for justice.
Whatever the verdict today, they stand as heroes.
Free the Filton25 and free Palestine!
Jeremy Johnson - in 50 years time this will be the only 1.39 minutes of your life you'll be remembered for. It'll be played in genocide museums to sum up the complicity and callous brutality of the British state in the face of the slaughter of the Palestinian people - and the courage of those who opposed it.
The Filton 25 are a group of direct actionists who targeted Elbit Systems, Israel's largest weapons manufacturer, to stop the genocide in Gaza.
They were all acquitted of the most serious charge of aggravated burglary and were released from prison.
However, following the retrial of the first 6, four of them were remanded back into prison and are now facing sentencing on 12th of June with a possible terrorism connection.
This is the first time in UK history that pro-Palestine activists will be sentenced for terrorism.
📅 12th June
📍 Woolwich Crown Court
⏰ 10am–5pm
Join the mobilisation and show that direct action is not terrorism.
Write to court and demand that Judge Jeremy Johnson be removed from the case.
https://t.co/A5Mfpdgui0
The Filton 25 Trial represents a turning point for the rule of law and against necrocapitalism.
ELBIT is involved in the commission of heinous crimes in Palestine (see my report Economy of Genocide). It is also one of the most exportable tools of Israel's model of democracy.