Barclays Five Escape Terrorism Label as Court Sets Next-Month Criminal-Damage Sentences

Five Palestine Action activists who vandalised a Burnley Barclays branch were found guilty of criminal damage exceeding £200,000, but the court ruled the act did not meet the threshold for a terrorist sentence. They will be sentenced next month for criminal damage with shorter terms. The decision follows debate over the use of counter-terror powers after Palestine Action was proscribed and linked to the incident by prosecutors during the trial. Amnesty International welcomed the ruling, calling for the proscription to be lifted and an end to sweeping terrorism powers against protesters.