Parents, siblings, and partners of the five activists who are on trial in Stuttgart-Stammheim starting April 27th, for their protest against the Israeli arms company Elbit Systems, accuse Baden-Württemberg’s public prosecutor of wrongly characterising the act as antisemitic, when its aim was to stop acts of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. Elbit supplies 86% of the Israeli military’s weapons and surveillance technology.
“Our children protested against Elbit's involvement in Israel's war crimes and genocide in Gaza,” says Mimi, the mother of Daniel. “Their action expressed outrage at the deaths of tens of thousands of innocent children and babies and other civilians, and the inaction of German politicians, in the face of a military campaign that international lawyers and Holocaust researchers agree is genocidal. Their motivation was to save lives.”
“Vi and their friends had tried all the usual ways, street demonstrations, contacting elected representatives, etc, to protest Israel's genocide on Palestinians,” says Josey, the partner of Vi. “Meanwhile, the German state doubled down on its weapon shipments, and police continued beating and arresting peaceful protestors. The action the five took is in line with international law. States have an obligation to prevent genocide.”
Relatives of the accused also criticise the prison conditions in which their loved ones have been incarcerated in Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria since September 2025 – nearly eight months so far. Several are only allowed to leave their cells for one hour a day. Some have witnessed suicides and received inadequate health care. Visits and contact with relatives are constantly surveilled by police and only permitted twice a month for half an hour. Opportunities to access books have been rigidly restricted for several of the accused; one was only granted the right to order books after appeals escalated to the Stuttgart Higher Regional Court.
The families of the Ulm5 also reject the accusation that their loved ones are members of a criminal organisation. They point out that this was the action of five friends who shared a passion to defend human rights and prevent further international war crimes; that no-one was hurt, that no allegation of harm to anyone has been made; and that the young people’s action was directed solely against the buildings and property of the arms manufacturer. “The action took place at night. No uninvolved citizens were affected,” the families say. “Our loved ones did not endanger anyone, let alone harm them, and they would not do so. Their aim was to prevent harm to others.”