OPERATION RE-COMPLY is the documentary about activists currently imprisoned on remand (held without trial), for taking direct action to dismantle weapons at Elbit Systems, an Israeli arms factory in Bristol, as part of the now-proscribed group Palestine Action. This film tells the story of their families, their fight for justice, and the movement that’s grown with them.
After 16 months in prison, six of the Filton 24 are finally going on trial, while others may have to wait two years before finally having their day in court. Their loved ones have had their worlds turned upside down. Violent house raids and arrests, brutal prison conditions, and for the families, a lingering uncertainty of not knowing when—if ever—their loved ones will be home.
OPERATION RE-COMPLY documents the govt’s response—in collusion with Israel— to crush the pro-Palestine movement. Harsh measures like labelling nonviolent activists as ‘terrorists’, and how their families continue to fight back with resilience and love as the state escalates its crackdown on basic human rights.
“When they ask why I did it, I tell them about the children… But I never forget to say: It was love, not hate, that called me.” – Zoe, 21; one of the Filton 24
In the film, strangers transform grief into a community bound by love, support, and resistance. We’ve seen over 2,500 arrests—many of them pensioners—simply for holding cardboards signs in support of Palestine Action. This is not just a story about the Filton 24; it’s a story about the growing attack on democracy and human rights, as the state uses terrorism laws to criminalise peaceful protest and free speech.