Swedish activist Greta Thunberg speaks to a police officer during a pro-Palestinian protest as she holds a sign that says she supports the Palestine Action detainees in London, UK, on Dec. 23, 2025. (Photo: Prisoners for Palestine/Reuters)
Three Palestine solidarity activists that have been detained by UK authorities while awaiting trial have ended their hunger strike after 73 days, according to a statement released late Wednesday by campaign group Prisoners for Palestine.
The decision leaves just one person still on hunger strike who started their protest six days ago, it confirmed to AFP. Four others had already called off their hunger strike earlier.
The detainees are due to stand trial for alleged break-ins or criminal damage on behalf of the Palestine Action campaign group before it was banned under anti-terrorism laws. They all deny the charges.
Palestine Action co-founder Huda Ammori challenged the ban last July, and High Court judges are expected to rule at a later date on whether to uphold the prohibition.
The detained activists, most of whom are part of the Filton 24 and are aged between 20 and 31, took part in a direct action as part of the group Palestine Action to protest Israel's war on Gaza in August 2024.
The main objective of the protestors was to disable the weapons at a facility belonging to Israel’s largest arms manufacturer, Elbit Systems, near Bristol, south-west England, and to draw attention to the complicity of arms companies such as Elbit Systems in what they and many international organizations have concluded is a genocidal war against the Palestinian people in Gaza.
A different group of activists broke into a U.K. air force base nearly a year later, in June 2025, allegedly causing an estimated £7 million ($9.3 million) of property damage. Some of those on hunger strike are charged in relation to that incident.
Following this action, the U.K. Home Secretary designated Palestine Action a proscribed group, officially banning it under the UK's Terrorism Act 2000.
The hunger strikers launched their strike in November in protest at their treatment in custody and called for their release from prison on bail as they await trial.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer had previously said in parliament that all "rules and procedures" were being followed in their cases, though this was heavily disputed by reports from the detainees, their families, supporters and campaign groups.
