It is hard to keep up with Palestine Action, who have carried out over 35 actions since our last issue. The following is an incomplete list of their actions, mostly targeted at the British subsidiary of the giant Israeli weapons maker Elbit Systems.
On 9 June, around 20 branches of Barclays bank across England and Scotland had their windows shattered or painted with red paint in a joint campaign between Palestine Action and Shut the System, a new climate direct action group.
Barclays in Leeds had their offices spraypainted red on 27 June, along with those of JP Morgan, another Elbit investor. The day before, the JP Morgan offices in Edinburgh had its windows smashed and spraypainted.
PA moved onto Manchester on 23 June to attack Barclays and JP Morgan offices there.
Both Barclays and JP Morgan invest in Elbit.
Earlier, there were three PA actions on one day, 17 June.
(1) PA broke into a factory in Kent belonging to an Elbit subsidiary, Instro Precision. They damaged machinery said to make scopes, sights, and targeting equipment for the Israeli military. Police told arrestees the damage cost over £1mn.
(2) PA blockaded the London offices of Scotiabank and sprayed it red. Scotiabank is a major investor in Elbit Systems.
(3) PA set up camp in Shenstone, Staffordshire, outside Elbit Systems’ UAV Engines factory.
On 24 June, seven people were arrested after blockading Elbit’s Bristol headquarters. They locked-on to a car, blocking the only road in and out. Police had to drill through concrete to remove them.
On 27 June, PA occupied and smashed up the High Wycombe offices of GRiD Defence Systems, who supply processors to Elbit UK. Boxes of GRiD processors had been found at Instro Precision on 17 June.
On 1 July, four PA activists were arrested for blockading the Manchester offices of CDW UK, who provide IT services to Elbit UK. The building was also spraypainted red.
On 5 July, three PA campaigners were arrested after driving a van through the gates of a Teledyne CML Composites factory in Bromborough, Wirral, and spraypainting the building red. According to PA, Teledyne provides components for Israeli F-35 jets currently bombing Gaza. It was the third Teledyne factory targeted by PA.
On 8 July, PA broke windows, doors and other equipment and spraypainted buildings at a packaging company near Sittingbourne, Kent. Kite provide specialised packaging for weapons components. Their packaging was found inside Instro Precision on 17 June.
On 9 July, PA sprayed the London offices of arms manufacturer Thales, which partners with Elbit in operating their joint venture, UAV Tactical Systems.