On Saturday, Palestine Action held publicly announced demonstration in Kingsway, London outside the headquarter offices of Israeli arms company Elbit Systems.
About a dozen Elbit supporters arrived ahead of the protest waving Israeli flags, and had already formed a line in front of the entrance as pro-Palestine and anti-arms trade campaigners congregated for their protest.
The two sides tried to out-chant each other, and some argued, but the protest remained peaceful throughout. Most people were wearing masks although one Israeli supporter (seen on film) claimed he didn’t need to because others were wearing theirs. In contrast to a previous protest, police did not apply Coronavirus legislation to break up the gathering. Palestine Action had organised someone to go around offering hand sanitiser, and also hand out masks in the colours of the Palestinian flag, although distancing was sometimes hard to adhere to.
After about an hour, a car suddenly pulled up directly outside the office and four women jumped out attempting to spray the front of the building with red dye using modified fire extinguisher cylinders. They were swiftly wrestled to the ground by police and arrested, but not before covering the area bright red including, symbolically, one of the Israeli flags, as well as several people including police officers. The driver of the vehicle was also arrested.
To date, despite many disruptions and much damage to Elbit factories and offices, there has not been a single prosecution of an activist, and Palestine Action believe this is because the company does not want its activities scrutinised in a court.
Real Media requested a statement from Elbit but have received no response.
The five arrestees were released on bail in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The United Nations have repeatedly condemned the occupation of Palestinian land and Israel’s oppression of the Palestinians. Hundreds of International Law Experts as well as Amnesty International condemned Israel’s actions during Operation Protective Edge as war crimes. Elbit Systems UK makes many of the drones that were used by the Israeli Defence Force in that operation.
