Use of force by guards in trial of pro-Palestine activists in Germany under scrutiny
Submitted by
Katherine Hearst
on
Tue, 05/26/2026 - 11:09
Defence lawyers reiterate demands for the recusal of the judge, who they say has 'no interest' in hearing the defendants
The "Ulm Five" from left to right: Daniel Tatlow-Devally, Zo Hailu, Crow Tricks, Vi Kovarbasic and Leandra Rollo (supplied)
Off
The use of force during the trial of pro-Palestine activists in Germany has come under scrutiny after defendants were forcibly carried into the court in handcuffs and people attending have been subjected to “violent body searches”.
Daniel Tatlow-Devally, Zo Hailu, Crow Tricks, Vi Kovarbasic and Leandra Rollo, who are from Germany, Spain, Ireland and the UK, were arrested on 8 September following an alleged break-in to the premises of Israeli arms firm Elbit Systems in the southwestern German city of Ulm.
Known as the “Ulm Five”, the group is accused of damaging the building's glass facade and smashing office equipment, including computers, screens and telephones.
In addition to charges of trespassing and damage to property, the five are accused of “membership of a criminal organisation”, namely Palestine Action Germany, under Section 129 of the German penal code.
The legislation is typically used to target organised crime networks and carries a potential sentence of up to five years in prison.
All the defendants have been held in prolonged pretrial detention, where they report facing restrictive conditions.
Under Section 129, suspects can be held for up to six months before trial, though lawyers say this period has now been significantly extended.
Throughout the proceedings - which began on 27 April - defence lawyers have repeatedly protested restrictions at the high-security Stammheim court complex, where terrorism cases are usually heard.
That includes objections to the defendants being cuffed and seated behind a glass barrier, arrangements which the lawyers say obstruct confidential communication with their clients and violate their rights to a fair trial.
Before a hearing on 21 May, the defendants sent notes to the presiding judge, Kathrin Lauchstadt, demanding to be seated next to their lawyers.
The judge refused, and ordered that the defendants be hauled into the dock by security staff.
‘Violent’ body searches
The defence team also expressed alarm at how security staff handled people attending the trial as observers, saying that it was “unlike anything" they had previously experienced.
Before a hearing on 22 May, relatives of the defendants reported being subjected to “violent, painful and intimate body searches” when entering the court.
While attendees are routinely searched before entry into the courtroom, Tatlow-Devally's mother Mimi Tatlow-Golden said that she and a number of female attendees, including journalists and defendants’ mothers, were subjected to particularly invasive body searches.
Germany approves $3.1bn Israel arms deal despite Gaza genocide
Read More »
Tatlow-Golden said that one guard “shoved her hands up and under” her bra, “pushing them right over my breast”. Others reported staff putting their hands down their trousers and searching their crotches.
She said that the staff are clad in riot gear, including stab vests and reinforced leather gloves, and “carry big weapons” when conducting searches.
“It's a very intimidating atmosphere,” she told Middle East Eye.
“They were removing people from the public gallery, without a direct order by the judge, which they're not allowed to do. They were admonishing people, telling them when to sit down and stand up.”
Security also confiscated pens and paper from court observers, as the judge had ruled that pens could be used as weapons and projectiles in the courtroom.
Middle East Eye has asked the Stammheim court for comment.
‘Not surprised but still outraged’
On 22 May, federal prosecutor Ronny Stengel made his opening statement, accusing the defendants of membership of Palestine Action Germany, which he said is a criminal organisation.
He reportedly referred to the UK government proscribing the British arm of the protest group, a move that was deemed unlawful by a High Court ruling in February. The government is currently attempting to appeal the decision.
Palestine Action is not proscribed in Germany.
Stengel further accused the defendants of antisemitism in connection with graffiti on the walls of the Elbit Systems plant, which read “child murderers and baby killers” in German.
He said the activists are also charged with trespass and property damage - estimating that damage caused during the raid comes to €1.04m.
In its opening statement, the defence addressed the broader context of Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
Germany's veil of silence over Israel's atrocities is now a blood-soaked shroud
Read More »
It emphasised that the defendants’ treatment - prolonged pretrial detention and a trial at the high-security Stammheim court - is disproportionate.
The defence pointed to cases of climate protesters facing similar charges, who were not subjected to these measures.
Tatlow-Golden said that she was “shocked” to see the prosecutor laughing during the defence's statement.
Four days into the proceedings, the defence was finally permitted to file applications to lift the restrictive measures imposed by the court on their clients, having been previously barred by the judge from doing so.
A motion to alter the courtroom seating arrangements, so the lawyers could be seated next to their clients, was deferred to the following week.
The judge rejected further applications requesting a stenographer for the defence and permission to audio record proceedings.
Stengel reportedly argued that the defendants' seating arrangements were “regular procedure” and that the glass barriers were necessary given the “emotional” nature of supporters in the public gallery.
He added that audio recordings of the proceedings were not required as “this is not a trial with far-reaching historical meaning”.
The court then heard defendant Tatlow-Devally’s defence statement.
Tatlow-Devally said that the group acted to destroy Elbit’s technical equipment at the Ulm site “in the hope to at least interrupt” the flow of arms to Israel.
They added that they were “not surprised but still outraged” over the antisemitism charges, which elicited brief applause from an observer in the gallery.
“At that point, everything ended, and that was sort of hanging in the air,” Tatlow-Golden said.
In response, the judge called a 30-minute break, despite Tatlow-Devally protesting that they had not finished.
The judge then summoned the person who had allegedly caused the disturbance to the bench.
According to the defence lawyers, the judge then proceeded to “conduct a ‘hearing’ there and then” and imposed a fine.
In German first, Leipzig students vote for academic boycott of Israel
Read More »
They emphasised that this approach is highly irregular, and that a courtroom disturbance is usually dealt with in writing, outside of the proceedings.
“This person was standing in front of the court, in front of the judge, looking helplessly at the lawyers, saying, 'What are my rights here?'” Tatlow-Golden recalled.
The judge then adjourned the court for the day, before Tatlow-Devalley could finish their statement.
“The defendants and their defence lawyers can only conclude from this behaviour that the presiding judge… has no genuine interest in actually listening to what the defendants have to say,” the lawyers said in a statement, calling for her recusal.
Defendants' families have reported that proceedings have been “excessively slow”, with the presiding judge frequently prematurely halting hearings, arriving late to court and calling excessive recesses.
They said that so far, she had failed to run a full court day.
The next hearing is scheduled for Friday. The lawyers said they hoped that “all the defendants will then finally be given the opportunity to speak publicly about the allegations made against them”.
Israel's genocide in Gaza
News
Post Date Override
0
Update Date
Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19
Update Date Override
0