Elbit Death Factory Shut Down
We arrived at 5am on the 6th of July 15. It was a stunning morning as the sun warmed us a we walked towards the factory. The day previously, 7 members of the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign, travelled down to Staffordshire from Scotland, to join activists around the country to protest against UAV Engines Ltd ( a factories owned by Israel’s biggest arms company Elbit Systems ) The factory makes engines for the Hermes 450 drone that was used against the people of Gaza last summer.
According to the UN, during its attack on Gaza, Israel killed over 2,200 Palestinians including more than 500 children. A report released on the 2nd of July 2015 by Campaign Against Arms Trade, War on Want and the Palestine Solidarity Campaign found that fresh arms e
xports to Israel worth nearly £4m - including components for drones - were approved by Britain within weeks of the attack. These deals show that despite Israel’s alleged war crimes, the government’s attitude to the arms trade with Israel is ‘business as usual’.
xports to Israel worth nearly £4m - including components for drones - were approved by Britain within weeks of the attack. These deals show that despite Israel’s alleged war crimes, the government’s attitude to the arms trade with Israel is ‘business as usual’.An injunction was issued in an attempt to prevent the protest but despite this campaigners from London Palestine Action, Campaign Against the Arms Trade and the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign locked-on in the early hours of the morning, and blocked the road and entrance to the factory. As the morning went on, campaigners from all around the country joined the road block and closed the factory down. Members of SPSC sat down, signed songs and demanded that factory remained closed. The Police at 9am moved in to move us from from the factory entrance and road.
The Police started to shove, push and grab young and elderly protestors as the tension increased. Ally, who was arrested during the protest explained, ‘ We are here because we as ordinary citizens do not have a choice, the British government continues to support the war crimes of Israel. We have to try and stop this this from happening and close these factories down.’ Meanwhile, production had also been halted at Elbit’s Elite KL factory in Tamworth, Staffordshire and at an Elbit factory called Instro Precision in Broadstairs, Kent, with activists on the roof of both factories. A similar occupation has been ongoing in Melbourne, Australia, since late last night. It was massive victory for Justice and human rights.
As Glasgow Council have integrated N|CE systems (an Israeli owned technology company) in the city, putting civil liberties and human rights at a huge risk. it is very important to stop these arm companies destroying lives and communities all around the world.
As the day went on, hundreds of people gathered to stop the Police using force and to keep blocking the factory. SPSC activists were among others linking arms when police began to arrest individuals and to use further force to push us back toward the train station. The Police put a lot of people including children at risk of being trampled and hurt as they moved us.
It was a great day, a chance to meet so many different activists from a round the country. We sent a clear message to Elbit and the British government, that we will not tolerate this in any shape or form. We left back to Scotland at the end of a hard day, we were all very tired. We will be back the next time.