FOUR campaigners who chained themselves to concrete-filled oil drums inside a shop are celebrating after being acquitted of trespass charges.

Bruce Levy, of Glyndon Road, Plumstead, Jo Crouch from Haringey, Tom Ellis and Tahirali Gulam Hussein both from Hackney, blockaded cosmetic shop, Ahava, in Covent Garden during September and December last year.

They claim the Ahava factory, which uses mud from the Dead Sea to make beauty products, is based in the allegedly illegal Israeli settlement of Mitzpe Shalem in the Palestinian West Bank.

Mr Levy, aged 46, said: “It was fantastic to be acquitted.

“But we will continue to hold fortnightly demonstrations outside the store until it changes the labelling to reflect where the products themselves come from or until the shop closes.”

Police were forced to cut the campaigners free from the 20 litre barrels after seven hours, which forced the shop to close on both occasions.

Each member of the Ahava Boycott Campaign was acquitted of aggravated trespass at Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court due to no evidence from the prosecution.

News Shopper contacted Ahava, but they decline to comment.