Before the direct action group was unlawfully banned, Palestine Action targeted giant insurance corporation Allianz for its support for Israel. Now, rather than follow the example of other firms and cut its ties to the genocidal colony, the company is suing six activists for occupying and throwing paint at its Guildford office during two anti-genocide protests in 2024 and 2025.
Allianz: a disgrace
Allianz reportedly ended its insurance of Israel’s biggest arms-maker Elbit in November 2025 after a sustained protest campaign, but maintains other contracts with firms involved in Israel’s weapons industry.
The firm has refused to pause its lawsuit until criminal trials related to the protests are concluded. The protesters have applied to the courts to force the firm to do so. One of them, Seren John-Wood, said that Allianz was seeking “unfair advantage”:
This is an unprecedented and unusual extra step that is being conducted parallel to criminal proceedings.
The burden of proof is significantly lower in civil courts. We believe that in a criminal court we will be found not guilty. In a civil court, they will have an extremely unfair advantage; we are unable to afford legal representation whereas, according to their own annual report, they made a record operating profit of €17.4bn (£15.1bn) last year. There is no legal aid available for civil courts.
Another, George Elliott, said that the firm had done more damage to its own reputation than the protesters had done to its offices:
Allianz brought on its own reputational damage and embarrassment, as well as any other alleged harm to its business and/or employees, by opting to insure Elbit Systems.
Featured image via the Canary
By Skwawkbox
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Juries in civil courts in the UK? We have them in the US, usually smaller but depends on state, 6 jurors in civil trial in my state, while criminal is 12, 13 drafted and an alternate dismissed at conclusion of trial usually.
