Trial against "Palestine Action" members in Stuttgart-Stammheim
Five Palestinian activists are standing trial in Stuttgart-Stammheim. They are accused of forming a criminal association and planning attacks on a defence contractor.
Trial against "Palestine Action" members in Stuttgart-Stammheim
A criminal trial against five persons linked to the group "Palestine Action" has begun at the Stuttgart-Stammheim Higher Regional Court. The defendants are accused of forming a criminal association. The Federal Prosecutor's Office also believes that the accused prepared arson attacks on a German subsidiary of Israeli weapons manufacturer Elbit Systems.
The five defendants – three men and two women aged between 22 and 36 – are said to have become active in the Federal Republic in autumn last year. Their nationalities are spread across several countries: two of the accused hold German passports, the others come from the United Kingdom, the United States, and Austria. The non-German suspects are currently in custody.
According to the prosecution, the group planned attacks on the Ulm branch of Elbit. The aim was said to be to disrupt the manufacturing processes of the defence firm. Investigators suspect that in the night between 7 and 8 September 2025, an initial raid on the company premises took place.
In that incident in Ulm, a masked man with the inscription "Palestine Action" on his torso allegedly ran towards the building. The site was not fenced or secured at that time. The organisation has been known on the British Isles for some time, where it has repeatedly organised campaigns against arms companies.
The defence lawyers criticised the start of the trial. One legal representative spoke of "political criminalisation" and considered the charges excessive. The accused had intended only to engage in peaceful demonstrations. The Federal Prosecutor's Office, however, emphasised that this involved planned violent offences and the organisation of a prohibited group.
The trial is being conducted under heightened security measures. Police units are securing the courthouse as protests are expected. The hearing is expected to take several weeks. This is one of the first German trials in which members of "Palestine Action" stand accused of forming a criminal association.
Source: Süddeutsche Zeitung
Source: Süddeutsche Zeitung