Palestine Action just shut down another weapons factory in the UK – as US activists also step up

Palestine Action has once again shown the power of direct action – by shutting down another UK weapons factory. Meanwhile, activists in the US have stepped up their campaign, also shutting an arms company facility down. The company in question is of course Elbit – and its complicity in Israel‘s genocide continues.

Palestine Action: once again stopping the flow of arms to Israel

Eight activists from UK Palestine Action blockaded all three access points into Elbit’s Instro Precision weapons factory in Discovery Park, Kent on Tuesday 26 March:

By attaching themselves to each other via lock ons, they successfully shut down the Israeli weapons maker:

No lorries are getting into Elbit’s Israeli weapons factory in Kent as Palestine Action is in the way #ShutElbitDown pic.twitter.com/kFC8akfNJu

— Palestine Action (@Pal_action) March 26, 2024

Instro Precision based in Discovery Park, Kent, is owned by Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest weapons firm. Elbit Systems provide a range of weaponry for the Israeli military, including 85% of their military drone fleet and land-based equipment, as well as electronic warfare, bullets, munitions and gun components.

In the past 171 days, the Israeli military has massacred at least 32,226 Palestinians (including 13,000 children) and injured over 74,518 Palestinians. In order to arm the live-streamed genocide, Elbit’s CEO Bezhalel Machlis said the company has “ramped up production” for the Israeli military who use Elbit’s services and weaponry “extensively”.

Instro Precision Ltd manufactures a range of military equipment for the purposes of warfare, targeting and repression. These include weapons sights for infantry and heavy artillery, such as the XACT th64 sights – which have been sold in quantities of thousands to the Israeli military to be used against the Palestinian people.

Elbit: complicit in genocide

The Israeli weapons factory regularly exports weapons to Israel under the categories ML5s (Weapons Sights) and ML11s (Electronic Equipment). So, Palestine Action rightly acted:

There can be NO business as usual for Israeli weapons manufacturers pic.twitter.com/uNhMjjtvgn

— Palestine Action (@Pal_action) March 26, 2024

As of 10:30am, nothing was coming in or going out of Elbit’s factory:

This blocking comes after Palestine Action also disrupted Elbit’s office supply company on 22 March:

BREAKING: Palestine Action target Complete Business Solutions, office suppliers for Elbit’s Leicester drone factory #ShutElbitDown pic.twitter.com/WW0NS1L0Wm

— Palestine Action (@Pal_action) March 22, 2024

Meanwhile, activists US has also been busy. It’s members and supporters also blocked an Elbit facility in New Hampshire:

Seven protesters are locked in and blocking Elbit Systems in Merrimack, NH. They have held the entrance for 4 hours with almost 20 supporters holding signs and cheering them on. #ShutElbitDown #FreePalestine pic.twitter.com/gN9AlGSUNQ

— HCW 4P (@HCW4P_ME) March 22, 2024

As the New Hampshire Journal reported, cops arrested eight people because:

protestors blocking the entrance prevented employees and emergency personnel from entering the property.

Two people attached to the car had cut holes in the doors of the vehicle, placed their arms through the holes, and chained themselves. One person in the car had what was described as multiple restraints and chains preventing her from being removed.

Authorities reportedly needed chainsaws to cut the restraints. Levesque said more than 70 first responders, including a state police bomb squad, reported to the scene.

70 US cops and other state agents for the sake of eight arrests all feels a bit like how authorities respond to protests in the UK; as does the state protecting private corporations:

Activists shut down Elbit Systems in Merrimack ,New Hampshire, preventing employees from entering the driveway. #ShutElbitDown pic.twitter.com/o0Y4ydjb0Q

— PALESTINE ONLINE 🇵🇸 (@OnlinePalEng) March 22, 2024

Palestine Action: an ‘obligation’ to shut Elbit down

A Palestine Action spokesperson said:

Our commitment to the struggle for Palestinian liberations remains stronger than ever, which means it is our obligation to shut down the means of weapons production for the Israeli military. We refuse to continue appealing to the political establishment to end our collective complicity in genocide. Instead, we will take direct action to shut down Israel’s weapons trade.

Featured image and additional images via Palestine Action