Security guard in Palestine Action case tells court he ‘felt like Indiana Jones’
Jurors in a Palestine Action trial heard on Friday that a security guard felt like “Indiana Jones” when he was confronting a group of activists involved in a raid on an Israeli-owned arms manufacturer.
Five defendants - Qesser Zuhrah, 21, Zahra Farooque, 26, Kamran Ahmed, 29, Heba Muraisi, 31, and Liam Mullany, 34 - are facing charges of criminal damage and violent disorder at Woolwich Crown Court in connection with a break-in at an Elbit Systems factory near Bristol on 6 August 2024.
Prosecutors allege that the defendants, whom they refer to as the “black team”, wore black jumpsuits and aimed to “overwhelm” security to allow a second group of activists, named the “red team”, to break into the factory in a prison van, ram the shutters and smash weapons and other equipment.
They say that the defendants achieved this by “threatening, intimidating and, if necessary, assaulting the guards, by throwing fireworks at them and brandishing weapons such as whips and hammers and large kebab skewers.
All five defendants deny the charges.
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Giving evidence on Friday, security guard Angelo Volante recalled that he “took control” of a lump hammer held by one of the team members, using a whip that “tangled around” the tool.
When cross-examined by Garry Green KC, who represents Zuhrah, Volante said it was a “slightly amusing experience”.
“I don’t own a fedora [hat] but I felt a bit like Indiana Jones,” he told the court, adding that he “couldn’t believe it had happened”.
Green described his account as a “fantasy”, asking the security guard if he was aware that the whip “was actually purchased from a sex shop”.
When asked by Green if “he enjoyed” the events of 6 August, Volante said: “In that kind of scenario what one aspires to do is to have cheerfulness in the face of adversity.”
Green observed that Volante had trained in martial arts in the past, asking him: “Was this a bit of a combat game for you?”
Volante responded that he was “making the best of what I had in front of me”.
Explosions and smoke
When cross-examined by the prosecutor Deanna Heer KC, Volante told the court he had received a call on his radio, prompting him to run to the rear yard. When he turned the corner of the building, he said he “could hear explosions” and smoke emitted from fireworks.
He recalled that the group of around a dozen people “began moving towards” him and his colleague, Nigel Shaw. He said that as they drew closer he observed they were carrying “different objects”, including whips, crowbars and “at least one” hammer.
Volante described the sight as being “pretty threatening”.
When Green asked why he didn’t “back off, run and go and report to others”, Volante said he was “maintaining our position, which was defensive, we withdrew over time, based on pressing of group”.
He then said a single member of the group “broke away and moved forward on his own” before Shaw struck the individual around the legs with an umbrella and tackled them to the ground.
Citing a statement given by Volante the day after the incident, Green reminded him that he had described the activists as “approaching as a group”, and that when they had come “within contact distance”, Shaw “managed to tackle an individual to the ground”.
Prosecutors allege that when Shaw detained the individual, “other members of the group attacked him, hitting him until he released their colleague, leaving the security guard with a laceration to his head”.
Referring to Volante’s statement again, Green quoted him as saying, “I believed my colleague [Shaw] was hit on the head at least once by the individuals in black” while he was on the ground.
Volante responded that he “was pretty confident I saw blows to the head, and blows to the rest of the body as well”.
Green said, that according to his statement, Volante said Shaw had told him “he believes he was hit multiple times”, suggesting that “the evidence you’re giving to this jury is based on what Mr Shaw has told you”.
“I saw him get hit at least once,” Volante responded, adding: “I believe my belief is solid.”
Green then suggested to Volante: “You’re doing your best aren’t you to try and make this appear a great deal worse than what it actually is?”
Volante responded: “I don’t agree at all.”
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