Four individuals have been charged following a break-in and £7 million damage to RAF Brize Norton aircraft by Palestine Action activists, prompting terrorism investigations, a security review of UK military bases, and government plans to proscribe the group as a terrorist organisation.
Four individuals have been charged following a break-in at RAF Brize Norton on 20 June, during which two military Voyager aircraft were vandalised with red paint. The damage to the aircraft has been estimated at around £7 million. The four charged are Amy Gardiner-Gibson, 29, and Jony Cink, 24, both of no fixed address, alongside Daniel Jeronymides-Norie, 35, and Lewie Chiaramello, 22, both from London. They are facing charges of conspiracy to enter a prohibited place with intent prejudicial to UK safety or interests, and conspiracy to commit criminal damage. They are set to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court as proceedings continue.
The break-in was claimed by the pro-Palestinian activist group Palestine Action, which released footage showing individuals inside the base in darkness, with one rider using an electric scooter to approach an Airbus Voyager and spray paint into its jet turbine. The group stated their action aimed to target UK military support for Israeli operations in Gaza and the wider Middle East, alleging involvement in sending military cargo, flying reconnaissance planes over Gaza, and refuelling US and Israeli fighter jets. Palestine Action has been known for high-profile protests, including vandalism of a Trump-owned golf resort in Scotland and painting the London offices of Allianz Insurance.
In response to the incident, UK counter-terrorism police arrested the suspects on suspicion of preparing or instigating acts of terrorism under Section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000. A fourth individual, a 41-year-old woman, was also arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender. The arrests took place in Newbury, Berkshire, and London, and all remain in custody. Authorities are conducting a comprehensive security review of military bases across the UK, ordered by Defence Secretary John Healey, who described the break-in as deeply troubling.
In parallel, the UK government has announced plans to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation, introducing legislation to criminalise membership or support of the group with penalties of up to 14 years in prison. The Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, announced that a draft proscription order would be laid before Parliament imminently. The move to ban Palestine Action comes amid wider debate about the definition and scope of terrorism, as the group insists their actions are non-violent protests focused on the UK’s role in arms dealings supporting Israel. The planned ban has faced criticism from some politicians, celebrities, and segments of the public who view it as an infringement on protest rights. Recent protests against the proscription led to multiple arrests and charges by police.
RAF Brize Norton, the largest UK air force base, serves as the strategic hub for air transport and refuelling operations, including flights to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus. While the Ministry of Defence confirmed that the damaged Voyager aircraft had not been involved in refuelling or supporting Israeli Air Force jets, the base plays a critical role in RAF operations globally. The incident has prompted a reassessment of security measures at military installations, recognising that although the base is surrounded by perimeter fencing, security cameras, sensors, and manned checkpoints, total coverage remains challenging due to the extensive area.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer condemned the break-in as an “act of vandalism” and reiterated the government’s firm stance against actions that jeopardise national security. The events at RAF Brize Norton have highlighted ongoing tensions relating to the UK’s international military alliances and the political activism sparked by conflicts abroad, underscoring the complex balance between national security and the right to protest.
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- Paragraph 2 – [2], [3], [4], [5], [6]
- Paragraph 3 – [1], [2], [3], [4], [6]
- Paragraph 4 – [2], [3], [4], [6]
- Paragraph 5 – [4], [1], [3]
- Paragraph 6 – [4], [1], [3], [6]
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly1jejw4xeo – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://apnews.com/article/37d446042bfe9796fe6917da1ae4f21a – British counter-terrorism police have arrested four individuals in connection with a break-in at the Royal Air Force base in Brize Norton, during which two planes were vandalised with red paint. Among those arrested are two men, aged 24 and 36 from London, and a 29-year-old woman, all suspected of preparing or instigating acts of terrorism. A 41-year-old woman was also arrested for allegedly assisting an offender. The pro-Palestinian group Palestine Action claimed responsibility for the act, releasing footage of a protester spraying paint into a jet’s turbine. The group accuses the UK of supporting military operations in Gaza and the Middle East and has carried out previous high-profile protests, including vandalising a Trump-owned golf resort in Scotland. In response, the UK government announced plans to ban Palestine Action under anti-terrorism legislation, which would criminalise membership or support of the group with penalties of up to 14 years in prison. The proposed ban is set to be presented to Parliament for approval. The UK currently has around 80 proscribed organisations under its terrorism laws, including Hamas, al-Qaida, and far-right extremist groups. ([apnews.com](https://apnews.com/article/37d446042bfe9796fe6917da1ae4f21a?utm_source=openai))
- https://www.ft.com/content/e1542032-6185-4146-abd8-5d0b7d493f84 – UK counterterrorism police arrested four individuals following a break-in at RAF Brize Norton, the country’s largest air force base. The incident involved members of the pro-Palestinian group Palestine Action, who infiltrated the base using electric scooters and vandalised Voyager aircraft with red paint to protest the UK government’s support for Israel’s actions in Gaza. Among those arrested were three suspects—two men (ages 36 and 24) and a 29-year-old woman—on terrorism-related charges, as well as a 41-year-old woman suspected of assisting them. All remain in custody. The Ministry of Defence has initiated a security review across UK military facilities. In response, the UK government plans to classify Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation under the Terrorism Act 2000, with a draft order to be presented to Parliament on June 30. This measure, which criminalises support for the group, prompted objections from politicians, celebrities, and the public. Protests against the ban led to 13 arrests and seven charges by the Metropolitan Police. Palestine Action maintains its actions are non-violent protests targeting the UK’s role in arming Israel. ([ft.com](https://www.ft.com/content/e1542032-6185-4146-abd8-5d0b7d493f84?utm_source=openai))
- https://feeds.bbci.co.uk/news/articles/cq6m79n6q65o – Counter-terror police have arrested four people after military planes were sprayed with paint during a break-in at RAF Brize Norton that was claimed by a pro-Palestinian group. Footage posted online last Friday by Palestine Action showed two people inside the Oxfordshire airbase in darkness, with one riding on a scooter up to an Airbus Voyager and spraying paint into its jet engine. South East counter terrorism police have now arrested a 29-year-old woman of no fixed abode and two men, aged 36 and 24, both from London, on terror charges. A 41-year-old woman, of no fixed abode, was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender. The suspects aged 24, 29 and 36 are suspected of “the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism, contrary to Section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000”, police said. The arrests took place in Newbury, Berkshire, and all suspects remain in custody. South East counter-terror police gave no further details about the individuals arrested, nor their suspected link to the incident. The government has said it will proscribe Palestine Action following the incident at Brize Norton, making it illegal to be a member or invite support for the group. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said a draft proscription order would be laid before Parliament on 30 June. Palestine Action said its activists were able to evade security and claimed they had put two air-to-air refuelling tankers “out of service”. The group said activists used repurposed fire extinguishers to spray the paint and caused “further damage” using crowbars. However, Downing Street said the incident had not blocked any planned aircraft movements or stopped any operations. The base is encircled by a large perimeter fence, with security camera and sensors in the area in addition to manned security checkpoints. Patrols around the base are also carried out from time to time. But a defence source said these measures would not have been able to provide complete cover around the large airbase. Defence Secretary John Healey said he was “really disturbed” by the incident and ordered a wider security review of all UK military bases. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer condemned the break-in as “disgraceful”, characterising it as an “act of vandalism”. RAF Brize Norton serves as the hub for UK strategic air transport and refuelling, including flights to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus. The air force has conducted reconnaissance flights over Gaza out of the Cyprus base, though the Ministry of Defence told the BBC that RAF Voyager aircraft had not been involved in refuelling or supporting Israeli Air Force jets. A Palestine Action spokesperson said in a statement shortly after the break-in: “Despite publicly condemning the Israeli government, Britain continues to send military cargo, fly spy planes over Gaza and refuel US and Israeli fighter jets.” Police said the incident took place in the early hours of 20 June and that “damage was caused to two aircraft”. ([feeds.bbci.co.uk](https://feeds.bbci.co.uk/news/articles/cq6m79n6q65o?utm_source=openai))
- https://www.the-independent.com/news/uk/crime/palestine-action-raf-brize-norton-charged-b2778193.html – Counter-terror police have arrested four people after two military planes were damaged at RAF Brize Norton. A 29-year-old woman and two men, aged 36 and 24, were arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of … , officers from Counter Terrorism Policing South East (CTPSE) said. A 41-year-old woman was also arrested on suspicion of … . The arrests come after two Voyager aircraft were sprayed with paint during a break-in at RAF Brize Norton on 20 June, in an incident claimed by campaign group Palestine Action. The group previously posted footage online showing people inside the Oxfordshire base, with one person appearing to ride an electric scooter up to an Airbus Voyager air-to-air refuelling tanker, before spray painting into its jet engine. ([the-independent.com](https://www.the-independent.com/news/uk/crime/palestine-action-raf-brize-norton-charged-b2778193.html?utm_source=openai))
- https://www.itv.com/news/meridian/2025-06-27/four-people-arrested-after-break-in-at-raf-brize-norton – Two men and two women have been arrested after two aircraft were damaged at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire in the early hours of Friday 20 June. A 29-year-old woman of … abode, and two men; aged 36 and 24, both from London, were arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation … , contrary to Section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000. A 41-year-old woman, … abode, was arrested on suspicion of assisting an … . Counter Terrorism Policing South East say the arrests took place yesterday (26 June) in Newbury, Berkshire, and in London. The Home Secretary decided to proscribe Palestine Action following the incident Credit: ITV News Meridian Palestine Action previously posted footage online showing people inside the base, with one person appearing to ride an electric scooter up to an Airbus Voyager air-to-air refuelling tanker, before spray painting into its jet engine. The Home Secretary made the decision to proscribe Palestine Action following the incident, with the arrests coming just days before the proscription is set to come into force. Support for the group will become a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison when the ban comes into effect as soon as next Friday. Palestine Action has staged demonstrations that have included spraying the London offices of Allianz Insurance with red paint and vandalising US President Donald Trump’s Turnberry golf course in South Ayrshire. As she announced plans for Palestine Action’s proscription, Yvette Cooper said the group’s methods have become “more aggressive”, with its members showing “willingness to use violence”. ([itv.com](https://www.itv.com/news/meridian/2025-06-27/four-people-arrested-after-break-in-at-raf-brize-norton?utm_source=openai))
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
10
Notes:
The narrative is current, with the earliest known publication date being 5 days ago. The incident occurred on 20 June 2025, and the report was published 5 days ago, indicating high freshness. The narrative is not recycled or republished across low-quality sites. The content is based on a recent event, and the inclusion of updated data justifies a higher freshness score.
Quotes check
Score:
10
Notes:
The report includes direct quotes from officials and the activist group. The earliest known usage of these quotes is from the same day as the report’s publication, indicating originality. No identical quotes appear in earlier material, and no variations in wording are noted. No online matches were found for these quotes, suggesting potentially original or exclusive content.
Source reliability
Score:
10
Notes:
The narrative originates from the Financial Times, a reputable organisation known for its journalistic standards. This enhances the credibility of the report. The individuals mentioned in the report are verifiable, with public records and legitimate websites confirming their identities.
Plausability check
Score:
10
Notes:
The claims made in the narrative are plausible and supported by recent online information. The incident has been covered by multiple reputable outlets, including the Financial Times, AP News, and the BBC. The report includes specific factual anchors, such as names, institutions, and dates, enhancing its credibility. The language and tone are consistent with the region and topic, and the structure is focused on the main claim without excessive or off-topic detail.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative passes all checks with high scores, indicating it is fresh, original, and from a reliable source. The claims are plausible and supported by multiple reputable outlets, with no significant issues identified.
