The Peace & Justice Project condemns Allianz and their abhorrent use of legal intimidation against pro-Palestine activists it alleges targeted them over its insurance of Israeli weapons manufacturer Elbit Systems’ in Britain.
In December 2025, Allianz had requested a lower sum before tacking on a further £200,000 in symbolic damages the six activists have branded a “protest licence fee”, raising the total to £289,604 plus legal representative costs. The increased demand came after activists wrote to Allianz’s lawyers asking them to wait for criminal proceedings to conclude before continuing their civil case.
“Allianz ordering us to civil courts while our criminal cases are pending indicates they are using intimidatory fear tactics to bully us into submission and to deter future activists from exposing their complicity in war crimes through Israel’s genocide of the Palestinian people,” said tutor Renée Eshel, one of the Allianz6.
The defendants cannot afford legal representation in the civil case, where the standard of proof required is lower than in criminal proceedings. The Allianz6’s lives would be torn apart if forced to pay the enormous symbolic damages, with the money taken from savings and future salaries – potentially causing lifelong financial distress, despite Allianz reporting a 2025 operating profit of £15.2 billion.
“We took action – and are prepared to face legal consequences in a criminal court as we believe we are not guilty. But this attempt to move the case away from the criminal courts, where we are not able to access financial support for legal representation and have our cases heard by juries, is as appalling as it is unprecedented,” community worker Seren John-Wood said.
Allianz, the world’s largest insurance company, dropped Elbit Systems UK as a client in December following sustained opposition across Europe. But the German firm is pursuing aggressive legal tactics that are unprecedented against pro-Palestine activists to intimidate those who highlighted its complicity in genocide.
“Part of Allianz’s general damages claims of £100,000 for each group of activists is for ‘reputational damage and commercial embarrassment’. Allianz created its own reputational damage and embarrassment, as well as any other alleged harm to its business, by opting to insure Elbit Systems and make itself complicit in egregious crimes against humanity,” said writer and performer George Elliott, another defendant.
The defendants will learn today (12 May) whether Central London County Court will grant their application to stay the civil case until criminal proceedings have concluded.
We stand with the Allianz6 against this disgraceful lawfare and abuse of the courts to effectively destroy the lives of activists speaking out against corporate complicity in the Gaza genocide.