Pro-Palestinian protesters fined over drone factory demonstration

Several protests took place at the factory in 2022

Two protesters have been fined after targeting a drone factory they believed was sending weapons to Israel.

Alistair Gwynne and Muhamad Naufal Ubidi Binhishamudin, both 21 and from Manchester, blocked the entrance of UAV Tactical Systems in Leicester in April.

Both were found guilty of criminal damage and obstructing or disrupting the firm's lawful activity after a trial at Leicester Magistrates' Court.

They were protesting as part of the Palestine Action group.

The pair sprayed red paint over the factory's driveway and lay down in front of its only access point, the court heard.

They had accused the company, a subsidiary of Israel-based international defence electronics company Elbit Systems, of manufacturing drone parts and shipping them out to Israel where they are then used in bombings.

UAV Tactical Systems does manufacture drone parts, but these are used by the British Ministry of Defence, the court heard.

Speaking during the trial, Mr Binhishamudin, of Moss Lane, said the red paint was meant to "symbolise the blood of Palestinians".

Both Mr Binhishamudin and Mr Gwynne, of Wallace Avenue, were fined £200 and forced to pay £175 in compensation.

In addition, they will each have to pay prosecution costs of £100 and a victim surcharge of £34.