Palestine Action is a pro-Palestinian protest network that uses direct action tactics to shut down and disrupt multinational arms dealers. In particular, the group targets UK-based operations that provide weapons used in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.

Protests

Palestine Action was founded on 30 July 2020 when activists broke into and spray-painted the interior of Elbit Systems' UK headquarters in London.^[1]

On 19 May 2021, during the 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis, four members of the group dressed in red boiler suits climbed onto the roof of an Elbit Systems-owned drone factory in Meridian Business Park, Leicester.^[2][3][4] The occupation lasted six days, and a total of 10 arrests were made for conspiracy to commit criminal damage and aggravated trespass.^[2]

The group have staged similar occupations of Elbit Systems sites in Bristol,^[5] Oldham in collaboration with Extinction Rebellion^[6][7][8] and Tamworth^[9] in collaboration with Animal Rebellion.^[10]

On 10 June 2021, three protestors from the group "stormed, scaled and occupied" an APPH drone factory in Runcorn.^[11] Activists daubed red paint on the exterior, dismantled drone and aircraft machinery and destroyed windows.^[11][12] The next day all three were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and aggravated trespass.^[13]

On 14 June, the fourth anniversary of the Grenfell fire, a similar occupation protest was staged at an Arconic factory in Kitts Green, Birmingham by three protestors.^[14] Arconic provided the cladding that allowed the rapid transmission of fire across Grenfell tower, and according to Palestine Action provide "materials for Israel's fighter jets".^[14] The occupation ended when two activists were arrested from the roof of the building two days later.^[15] One activist was remanded in prison and immediately went on hunger strike.^[16] The activist said they would end their strike if any one of four conditions were met: release of Palestine Action protestors; the eviction of Elbit from its London headquarters by property firm LaSalle Investment Management; the closure of all Elbit Systems’ British operations or; release by the government of all correspondence and documents relating to its dealings with Elbit and its subsidiaries.^[16]

In April 2022, two Palestine Action protestors chained themselves to the gates of a drone factory of UAV Tactical Systems at Meridian Business Park in Braunstone. Other activists gathered nearby with signs stating "Free Palestine". Three protestors were arrested. A spokesperson for the group said that "Direct action will not cease until all Elbit sites are closed."^[17]

References