Five Palestine Action activists arrested over Elbit Systems factory protest on Christmas Day

29 December 2024, 15:24

Five Palestine Action activists have been arrested over a protest at an Elbit Systems factory on Christmas Day.

Five activists from Palestine Action have been arrested after Staffordshire Police received reports of demonstrators at a "business premises" near Lichfield at 12.43pm on December 25.

On the same day, protest group Palestine Action shared a video on X, formerly Twitter, that appeared to show a person hitting a brick wall with a large hammer.

Palestine Action said it had targeted Israeli firm Elbit Systems' UAV Engines drone factory in Shenstone, Staffordshire.

The activists have had repeated successes in their direct-action protests against Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest weapons manufacturer, forcing them to close down several factories, and causing ten large businesses to cut ties with the weapons manufacturer.

Protesters smashed through the walls with tools while on top of "two secured cherry-pickers", the group added in its post on X.

It said in another statement: "The Christmas Day action saw two specially-modified vehicles arrive at the Shenstone site, equipped with cherry-pickers, from which activists smashed the factory structure, while the drivers of the vehicles locked on, secured inside."

Staffordshire Police said three men and two women had been arrested and bailed as officers continue investigations.

On their website, Palestine Action said: “Today’s action takes place, not only in the context of the Gaza Genocide, and with the birthplace of Christmas under occupation, but with a climate of state terror in Britain, being used to try and intimidate protestors.

“These tactics include dawn raids, detention under supposed anti-terror laws, and days of questioning.

“On Christmas Eve, Palestine Action already had 22 political prisoners behind bars, almost all of whom are still unconvicted, and none of whom are charged with terrorist offences.”

A report released earlier this month found that Britain is a world-leader in criminalising climate protesters, second only to Australia in its rate of arrests of environmental defenders.

The police force said a 41-year-old man from Folkestone, Kent, and a 60-year-old man were arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass, locking on to a person, object or land to cause serious disruption, conspiring to destroy or damage property, and criminal damage to property valued under £5,000.

Another man, 21, of no fixed address, was arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass, locking on, conspiring to destroy or damage property, and criminal damage valued over £5,000, it added.

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It said a 38-year-old woman, from Folkestone, Kent, was arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass, conspiring to destroy or damage property, and criminal damage to property valued over £5,000.

Another woman, aged 20, from Norwich, was arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass and conspiring to destroy or damage property, according to police.

Elbit Systems has been approached for comment.

Israel's campaign has killed more than 45,400 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, and wounded more than 108,000 others, according to the Health Ministry.

More than 90% of Gaza's 2.3 million Palestinians have been driven from their homes, most of them now sheltering in sprawling, squalid tent camps in south and central Gaza, subject to frequent attacks.

Israel launched its campaign vowing to destroy Hamas after the group's October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel in which militants killed around 1,200 people and abducted some 250 others.

Since then, Israel has been accused of deliberately stalling ceasefire negotiations, or changing their terms when agreements seem likely.

Around 100 Israelis remain captive in Gaza, around a third of whom are believed to be dead.

Fourteen countries have joined or signalled their intention to join South Africa’s genocide case against Israel in the International Court of Justice.

Human rights organisations including the UN, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have also affirmed that Israeli actions in Gaza are compatible with the crime of genocide.

The International Criminal Court has also issued arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, Yoav Gallant, his former defence minister, and a Hamas leader.

The warrants are for "crimes against humanity and war crimes" over Israel's conduct in Gaza and the October 7 attacks on Israel, the court, based in The Hague, said.