CPS drops charges against activists accused of disrupting Gal Gadot London shoot

All criminal charges have been dropped against eight pro-Palestinian activists accused of disrupting the London film set of Israeli actress Gal Gadot.

The group – dubbed online as the “GG8” – had been due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court this week, charged under the Trade Union and Labour Relations Act 1992 for allegedly trying to block access to the set of Gadot’s movie The Runner.

The Crown Prosecution Service has now confirmed the case has been discontinued. No further action will be taken.

One of those arrested, Pedro Baptista, posted on social media: “Our case has been dropped, and Gal Gadot’s case has been dropped. We never did anything wrong – they were scared of embarrassing themselves in court. Free Palestine. F*** Gal Gadot.”

Another defendant, Anika Zahir, wrote: ‘Good news – the case against myself and seven other activists has been dropped. The police pushed this to repress our right to protest. They failed.”

The protesters had been accused of using sirens, banging metal pans and chanting near filming locations in Westminster and Camden earlier this year, with footage showing Palestinian flags and banners reading “Trash Gadot not welcome in London”.

All eight had been bailed on condition they stayed 200 metres away from filming sites.

The Metropolitan Police previously said it acted after repeated disruption and insisted it “will not tolerate unlawful interference with legitimate professional work in London”.

At the time of the arrests, Superintendent Neil Holyoak said: “We acknowledge the importance of peaceful protest, but we have a duty to intervene where it crosses the line into serious disruption or criminality.”

Solicitor Kate McFadden, who represented several of the accused, had described the charges as “disproportionate, unnecessary and an unlawful interference with their rights,” saying her clients had engaged in “peaceful protest in a public place”.

The unusual legal basis for the prosecution – Thatcher-era legislation originally intended to constrain strike pickets – drew criticism from civil liberties campaigners. Had it reached trial, it would have been one of the first times the 1992 Act had been used in a protest context against film-set disruption.

Gadot, 40, who served in the IDF and has spoken publicly in support of Israel following the Hamas attacks of 7 October, has faced repeated demonstrations during London shoots over the past year. Her Hollywood Walk of Fame star was defaced with the words “baby killer” in May.

Reports in The Times suggested the actress briefly considered abandoning the UK shoot after repeated protests, though filming continued.

The Runner, which also stars Damian Lewis, centres on a lawyer racing to save her kidnapped son.

The CPS did not disclose its reasoning for dropping the case.