Four Palestine Action activists spared jail over Burnley bank attack

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 30 Oct, 17:51 · Archive

Four Palestine Action activists who damaged a Barclays branch in Burnley have been given suspended prison sentences.

Four Palestine Action activists convicted of criminal damage at a Barclays branch in Burnley have been handed suspended prison sentences. Brendon O'Hagan, 28, Amanda Kelly, 31, Mohammed Malik, 26, and Hmeera Atiqnisar, 31, attacked the bank on St James's Street in the early hours of 5 August 2024. They smashed windows with hammers and threw red paint over the building, causing damage exceeding £212,000. A security guard taking refuge in the building called for help during the attack. All four were driven away by Alma Yaniv, 70, who is to be sentenced separately on 8 December.

At Preston Crown Court, Judge Robert Altham sentenced Atiqnisar to two years in prison suspended for 20 months with 250 hours of unpaid work. O'Hagan, Kelly and Malik each received 20 months in prison suspended for 20 months with 240 hours of unpaid work. The defendants said they were motivated by opposition to Barclays' financial links to Israeli weapons manufacturer Elbit Systems and other defence companies. The judge said it was 'no business of the court' to question their beliefs and that they remained free to take lawful protest. However, he stated their actions had 'gone far beyond non-violent protest', distinguishing between holding strong beliefs and breaking the law.

LancsLive reports that Palestine Action was designated a proscribed terrorist organisation in July 2025, making membership or activity relating to the group a criminal offence. The judge noted that the Barclays attack predated this proscription.

How it is being reported

• Palestine Action activists spared jail after attack on Barclays Bank in Burnley'In a democratic society there is a fundamental distinction between holding even the strongest beliefs and deciding that holding them entitles you to break the law'LancsLive · 30 Oct, 17:10
• 4 Palestine Action activists spared jail over Lancashire bank attackFour Palestine Action activists who caused more than £212,000 of damage during a masked hammer attack on a Burnley bank have been spared immediate prison sentences.Lancashire Telegraph · 30 Oct, 16:05

In this story: Palestine Action · Barclays · Burnley · Brendon O'Hagan · Amanda Kelly · Mohammed Malik · Hmeera Atiqnisar · Alma Yaniv

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log