Palestine Action celebrates its first birthday by occupying Israeli arms firm’s London HQ
Activists from Palestine Action (PA) have occupied the London HQ of Israel arms firm Elbit Systems. Arriving on the morning of 6 August, the group quickly blocked the entrance to the firm’s offices. They also sprayed red paint around the site to symbolise the oppression of Palestinians by Israel.
PA was founded one year ago this week. In its press release, PA said that 105 days of that year had been spent occupying Elbit Systems sites or locations where Elbit components were made.
The police cordon off the street and #PalestineAction cordon off Israel's arms trade. They're protecting Israel's weapons and we're protecting humanity. We're on top and we will win! #ShutElbitDown pic.twitter.com/IqHDELdzuX
The group tweeted a video of members on a rooftop above the building entrance.
Death dealers
Elbit is Israel’s largest arms firms. Large parts of its infrastructure is based in the UK. In its press release, PA said:
The action taken today, as with all actions by Palestine Action, has been taken in order to end the supply of UK made arms, drones, munitions and military technology to Israel.
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Elbit technology also sells weapons to other repressive governments around the world, PA said:
This tech, manufactured at Elbit’s 10 sites across the UK, is sold to Israel for the express purpose of repressing, brutalising, and killing Palestinian people. After being “battle-tested” (in Elbit’s words) on Palestinian civilians, it is then sold on the global market to some of the world’s most repressive regimes.
This is how you climb up and take down the #London headquarters of Israel’s largest arms company. #ShutElbitDown pic.twitter.com/vKKa0x3hAW
But hindering Elbit isn’t all that PA has done. It says it’s forced the firm to increase spending on security to keep PA activists out – a move which doesn’t seem to have worked very well so far.
Featured image via Palestine Action
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Excellent action for all those who genuinely believe in democracy and equality but, of course, it will be dubbed criminal damage and vandalism by those who use petty-minded conformism as a defence against justice. Great courage from these activists and much more effective than the quiet campaigning of the PSC, fine though that is. We see again that putting the arguments rationally isn’t taken seriously by power; only when direct action like this is undertaken do they take notice. A great pity. But the freedom of the Palestinians is far more important than a bit of damage to the property of arms manufacturers. At least to us, but not to capitalists and the State. They have the courts and prison, we have justice and commitment. Whatever happens we must give our utmost support to these brave campaigners.
Well said.
Palestine Action is doing great work. Hitting where it hurts most – economic damage is the only language that speaks volumns – so well done. We need more such action from all of us committed to seeing Freedom for Palestine.
Thanks for letting us know this place exists. Another lockdown coming? We are all Palestinians now!