Back in March, Real Media covered the launch of a Boycott Bloody Insurance campaign, with a march across the City Of London financial district, stopping at the offices of a whole host of insurers complicit in ecological destruction and genocide. It followed the publication of a research report linking companies like Allianz, Aviva, AXA, Zurich and RSA with the genocidal Israeli war machine.
In July, an offshoot of Extinction Rebellion targeted the British Insurance Awards. Insure Our Survival staged a die-in on the red carpet at the Royal Albert Hall, highlighting the insurance industry’s financial support for ecocide, global heating and war.
In August, underground protest and sabotage group Shut The System struck financial institutions including Allianz, again highlighting the financial ties with fossil fuels and the IDF weapons supplier, Elbit Systems. The same group was involved in a co-ordinated international protest against Allianz on Balfour Day (November 2nd) this year, carrying out blockades or causing damage and graffiti at Allianz offices across more than eight countries.
The currently proscribed network Palestine Action also carried out a campaign of multiple actions highlighting Allianz’s support for Elbit Systems. Real Media covered one such protest at Allianz’s London office in March, a few months before Yvette Cooper’s controversial decision to use terrorism legislation against a direct action protest campaign (currently under consideration by a judicial review at the High Court).
Allianz’s head office is at Guildford Business Park in Surrey, and local campaigners have held regular protests there for over a year. Sul Nowroz reported from one of these just over a year ago, and then again when they carried out a peaceful occupation there in May this year.
Last month, Boycott Bloody Insurance organised eye-catching protests at Glastonbury, calling for the festival to cut its links with Allianz. The first was a banner drop from the iconic Pyramid stage, and this was followed a week later with huge banners and a blood-red themed visuals at the Glastonbury Tor.
Earlier this month, Sul covered the regular Guildford protest once more in his piece on continuing grassroots resistance.
Allianz, Allianz, pick a side – Justice or Genocide
Finally, after more than a year of disruptive direct action protest first begun by currently proscribed group, Palestine Action, and more recently continued at a grassroots level by various groups including Prisoners For Palestine, activists have announced that both Allianz and Aviva have confirmed they no longer insure Elbit Systems.
Now it’s Aspen’s turn
This morning, the offices of Aspen Insurance were sprayed with red paint, as they are still providing Employer Liability insurance to Elbit.
The sprayers, from Prisoners For Palestine, then locked on in front of the office in Fenchurch Street, and more protesters arrived including Greta Thunberg. She carried a banner that said “I support the Palestine Action prisoners. I oppose genocide”, and was arrested by police under Terrorism legislation.
