Palestine Solidarity Activists Target Israeli Arms Company In UK
Umer Jamshaid Published April 13, 2021 | 11:30 PM
LONDON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 13th April, 2021) Members of the UK�s Palestine Action movement took over the roof and blockaded on Tuesday an arms factory in Oldham, Greater Manchester, owned by Elbit Systems, Israel�s largest privately arms manufacturer, to demand its closure and urge the UK government to put an arms embargo on Israel similar to the one imposed on Apartheid South Africa during the 1980s and 90s.
"We are here on the top of Ferranti�s Technologies' roof in Oldham to shut Elbit down ... They have four open licenses which means they can send arms without checks two ways. These licenses are given by the UK government. This means that the UK government is complicit," one of the activists said in a video message recorded from the roof of the building and posted on Twitter by Palestine Action.
Protesters also targeted the company�s headquarters in Bristol, in southwest England, and sprayed the buildings in red paint, broke windows and chained themselves to the premises.
"Elbit�s profit Palestinian blood," "Stop arming Israel" and "Tested in Palestine, used in Kashmir," some of the banners hanging from the factory�s roofs read.
The Palestine Action group, which defines itself as mass direct action movement working to end UK complicity with what it calls Israeli apartheid, said in a statement that its members vowed to continue the campaign against Elbit until its 10 sites in UK are shut down for good.
"While our government lies in bed with Elbit and cosies up to the arms industry, turning a blind eye to international law, it is up to us, the people, to take a stand and force these war criminals out," the movement said.
Greater Manchester Police said that two people were arrested at Oldham, while officers remain and the scene and demonstrators are still on the roof.
According to the Bristol Post online edition, the Avon and Somerset Police have been monitoring the situation at the Elbit headquarters but said the action by activists in Bristol is being treated as a civil matter.
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