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Activists from Palestine Action blockaded Elbit Systems Instro Precision factory in Sandwich, Kent, disrupting the production or export of Israeli weapons. The activists split into two groups to block both entrances to the Discovery Park, and attached themselves to each other using lock on devices to obstruct all possible access. At the main entrance, red paint was also sprayed across the road and pedestrian entrance path, to symbolise the Palestinian blood spilt by Elbit’s weaponry.
This is the second recent action targeting the factory, after more than 150 trade unionists from ‘Workers for Free Palestine’ picketed the factory entrances, in response to a call for solidarity from Palestinian trade unions [1]. There have been repeated actions by both Palestine Action during the time its been active, as well as by others going back a decade[2][3].
Instro Precision Ltd manufactures a range of military equipment for the purposes of warfare, targeting and repression [4]. These include weapons sights for infantry and heavy artillery, such as the XACT th64 sights – which have been sold in quantities of thousands to the Israeli military, likely outfitting their sniper regiments which man the Gaza border. Their export licences to Israel are for ML5s (Weapons Sights) and ML11s (Electronic Equipment) [5].
This action has been taken in response to the ongoing genocidal bombing campaign of Palestinians in Gaza by Israel, which at the time of writing has killed 9,770 Palestinians, including 4,008 children [6]. The Zionist entity has perpetrated such war crimes as bombing the Jabalia refugee camp several times, bombing hospitals and ambulance convoys in a coordinated attack, and bombing other services such as bakeries at a time when Palestinians do not have access to much food [7][8][9].
Palestine Action has made clear that the campaign of direct action will not stop until Elbit and other Israeli arms makers are shut down, ending British complicity in genocide.
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
If you would like any further information on Palestine action, please contactinfo@palestineaction.org
Palestine Action is a direct-action network of groups and individuals formed with the mandate of taking action against the sites of Elbit Systems and other companies complicit in Israeli apartheid, calling for all such sites to be shut down.
[2] https://www.palestineaction.org/intro-precision-occupy/
[3] https://caat.org.uk/news/what-is-elbit-hiding/
[4] https://www.palestineaction.org/instro-2/
[5] https://caat.org.uk/data/exports-uk/licence-list?region=Israel&company=Elbit+Systems
[6] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2023/11/4/israel-hamas-war-live-heavy-israeli-bombing-pounds-northern-gaza