UK Police Officer Struck by Sledgehammer During Palestine Action Protest - Who Is The Suspect?

In a dramatic flashpoint in the UK's pro-Palestine movement, a police officer suffered a fractured vertebra after being struck twice with a sledgehammer during a violent factory raid. The alleged assailant, a member of Palestine Action, stands trial as debates on extremism and protest rights continue.

As Woolwich Crown Court hears graphic testimony of the meticulously planned attack on 6 August 2024, the spotlight falls on 23-year-old Samuel Corner, who faces charges of grievous bodily harm, aggravated burglary, and criminal damage.

The Brutal Factory Raid: Sledgehammers and Chaos at Elbit Systems

On 6 August 2024, six alleged Palestine Action members in red jumpsuits stormed Elbit Systems' Bristol facility. Charlotte Head, 29, drove a repurposed van through security fences before the group smashed through doors with crowbars and hammers.

The 'red team'—Head, Samuel Corner, 23, Leona Kamio, 30, Fatema Rajwani, 21, Zoe Rogers, 22, and Jordan Devlin, 31—wielded sledgehammers to destroy computer equipment, spray red paint symbolising blood, and reportedly whipped security guards like Angelo Volante, who was also threatened with a saw and extinguisher foam.

Prosecutor Deanna Heer KC told jurors on 18 November 2025 that the defendants had been 'willing participants' in a plan to cause damage to the plant, which manufactures defence technology equipment. She emphasised the tools doubled as weapons. Footage revealed Rogers swinging a sledgehammer at Volante, while Kamio raised hers overhead, forcing retreat. Damage extended to loading bays, security systems, and even the disabled toilet, with no monetary estimate yet.

Samuel Corner: The Accused Assailant in the Dock

Samuel Corner, 23, faces the gravest charge: causing grievous bodily harm with intent after allegedly striking Sgt Kate Evans across the back with a sledgehammer as she attempted to arrest Rogers during the raid. Evans, who was prone at the time, screamed in agony. Scans later confirmed a fractured vertebra, sidelining her for three months. She remains on restricted duties.

Heer told the court, 'Having hit her once, he raised the sledgehammer again and hit her with it a second time.' Evans feared she might be paralysed. Corner denies all charges, including burglary and violent disorder. His co-defendants have also pleaded not guilty.

Little is publicly known about Corner's background. Online searches yield scant pre-trial information, focusing instead on the group's radical ethos. On 18 November 2025, X user @WombleFlyBoy posted, 'Not peaceful then: "...Samuel Corner attacked them, going so far as to strike a female officer, Sgt Kate Evans, across the back with his sledgehammer..." Scum.'

As the trial continues into January 2026, Corner has become the face of the prosecution's case against what it frames as willing extremism.

Palestine Action's Shadow: From Protest to Proscription

Palestine Action's campaign against Elbit, Israel's largest arms exporter, intensified after 7 October 2023. The group's tactics escalated, culminating in the June 2025 terror proscription after airbase sabotage and mass arrests. More than 2,000 people have since been detained, including 890 on 6 September 2025 for placards reading 'I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action.' Seventeen were charged with assault.

Presiding over the Elbit case, Judge Mr Justice Johnson instructed on 18 November 2025, 'The ban was not for them to consider and was irrelevant to the evidence in this case,' isolating the 2024 raid. UN rights chief Volker Turk condemned the ban on 25 July 2025 as a 'disturbing' misuse of counterterror laws, while Amnesty International flagged the scale of arrests as 'deeply concerning.'

Supporters have rallied via Defend Our Juries, accusing the government of overreach. Yet critics like @sarah_owl3 questioned whether media outlets were 'aiding fugitives' in the case.

The unfolding case is fast becoming a litmus test for the UK's protest boundaries in the shadow of the Gaza conflict.