Coordinated direct action targets notorious firm
A ‘Global Day of Action’ to shut down weapons manufacturing facilities owned by Israeli arms-maker Elbit Systems is taking place in ten different countries today.
Organised by Palestine Action (PA) and Progressive International, the actions are taking place across the US, UK, Japan, Brazil, Belgium and other locations in protest against Israel’s genocide in Gaza, its illegal, apartheid occupation and its hideous oppression of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank:
Elbit Systems is Israel’s largest weapons manufacturer, with operations spanning multiple offices and subsidiaries on four continents. Palestine Action’s #ShutElbitDown campaign has been taken up by Progressive International and other ally groups, as PA activists face a targeted campaign of criminal prosecution by a UK Establishment that firmly backs Israel’s ‘right’ to commit war crimes.
In the UK, activists blockaded the Bristol site of Israel’s largest arms manufacturer:
Elbit’s UAV Tactical Systems factory in Leicester has also been targeted:
Activists in Birmingham have gathered to demand that London Metric Property, a landlord of Elbit Systems, cuts ties with the company:
In a multi-pronged action in the US, protesters rallied at Elbit HQ in Fort Worth, Texas:
A demonstration are also being mounted at Elbit investor BNY Mellon in Houston, Texas, New York City and Atlanta, Georgia:
Elbit’s Roanoke, Virginia, facility is also the scene of a large demo:
This evening (2000 GMT/1500EST), activists in Boca Rotan will gather to shut down Elbit:
In Japan, activists in Tokyo gathered at the offices of Itochu Corporation, calling for it to sever its ties with Elbit:
In India, protesters met at the listed office for Cyberbit in Delhi to confront the war machine, while in Switzerland they picketed the Geneva offices of ELCA, a company that provides IT services to Elbit, and Elbit’s own facility:
In Sweden, Elbit Systems offices were covered in protest graffiti:
and graffiti in Stockholm, Sweden highlighted imperialism’s role in the west’s support for genocide:
In Porto Alegre, Brazil, activists have gathered at AEL Sistemas, a subsidiary of Elbit Systems, to protest and participate in the global day of action:
In Toronto, Canada, activists are picketing the HQ of Scotiabank, calling on them to divest from Elbit Systems:
And in Germany, activists in Germany staged protests at Rheinmetall — Germany’s largest arms manufacturer and a key research partner of Elbit Systems:
Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has put out a strong message of support for the actions and the campaign behind them:
Those who wish to find out about joining the campaign should visit https://act.progressive.international/out-palestine.
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Palestine Action – Activists of the Year, hands down! Respect.
Brilliant actions.
ElbitSystems = The Merchants of Death.
On the subject of protests/boycotts – seen this video earlier this evening. It’s a few days old, apparently.
https://youtu.be/SL8eFyN-CQs?feature=shared
…Made me smile. I also noticed they weren’t prohibited or hindered. No snide old bill stitching them up like they did our friend tony greenstein & co. Mind you, there’s more profit in death rather than dates, I suppose. But that said there’s more Joe Public who shop at waitrose than elbit, so well played all the same, ladies 👍
Is there any truth in the rumour that Washington and London are forming a security task force of the willing to break this blockade?
‘To the rich and powerful.
Last throes ‘great’ men and women.
As arms sales, gas, oil and a canal cause this capitalist crime.
But a light is shining in the oppressed of the world.
And it’s name is Palestine.’
Permanent Ceasefire Now.