Ulm 5 Activists Face Trial in Germany Over Arms Factory Protest

Five pro-Palestine activists, known as the Ulm 5, are set to stand trial in Germany for an alleged attack on an Israeli arms factory in Ulm. The activists, who hold British, Irish, German, and Spanish citizenship, have been held in pre-trial detention since their arrest on 8 September 2025. They are accused of trespassing, causing property damage, and participation in a criminal organization under Section 129 of the German criminal code.

The trial is scheduled to begin on Monday, 27 April 2026, at a court in Ulm. According to their legal representatives, the activists maintain that their actions were a non-violent direct action intended to obstruct the shipment of weapons to Israel amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza. They waited for police to arrive after the protest and did not resist arrest.

Families of the defendants have raised concerns about the conditions of their detention, stating that the activists have been held in separate prisons for up to 23 hours a day, with restricted access to visits, books, phone calls, and mail. They describe the impending trial as a potential “show trial” aimed at making an example of the activists, none of whom have prior criminal convictions.

The charges stem from an alleged break-in at the Ulm facility of Elbit Systems, an Israeli arms manufacturer. Prosecutors claim the activists caused hundreds of thousands of euros in damage during the early hours of 8 September 2025. The Section 129 charge, which pertains to participation in a criminal organization, allows authorities to deny bail and reflects the state’s position that the accused pose a threat to public safety.

Supporters of the Ulm 5 argue that the case highlights Germany’s role in arms exports to Israel and its complicity in the Gaza conflict. Critics of the detention conditions contend that the prolonged pre-trial imprisonment raises human rights concerns, particularly given the non-violent nature of the alleged protest.

If convicted, the activists face a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The outcome of the trial is expected to draw attention from international human rights observers and solidarity movements across Europe.