Not to do things by halves, Palestine Action started the week as it means to go on: by blockading an Elbit factory – Instro, in Kent – for the majority of the day; once again, disrupting Israel’s genocide supply chain in the process
Palestine Action shut down Elbit in Kent
Palestine Action have blocked all entrance roads to the ‘Instro Precision’ factory in Discovery Park, once again shutting down the Kent factory of Israel’s largest arms company, Elbit Systems.
Activists have used vehicles to obstruct the entrances:
Actionists inside two vehicles blocking one entrance into Kent’s Israeli weapons factory, whilst others have taken over all other ways in. pic.twitter.com/VhWXamWwlQ
— Palestine Action (@Pal_action) September 9, 2024
They have climbed on top of security boxes and the ledge of Discovery Park House:
All ways in to Kent’s Israeli weapons factory have been taken over by Palestine Action!
We’re here to shut down British complicity with genocide – Join us at Discovery Park, Sandwich pic.twitter.com/4ySlhWaeHD
— Palestine Action (@Pal_action) September 9, 2024
The premises has been covered in red paint, symbolising Palestinian bloodshed spilt by Elbit’s weaponry:
BREAKING: Palestine Action blockade all entrances into the Elbit’s Instro Precision arms factory in Discovery Park, Kent.
We’re more determined than ever to get Israel’s biggest weapons manufacturer out of Britain. pic.twitter.com/DTcAimP8cZ
— Palestine Action (@Pal_action) September 9, 2024
Meanwhile, as of 3pm cops did little but look on in a state of stupor:
Police out to try and remove Palestine Action’s ongoing blockade of Kent’s Israeli weapons factory pic.twitter.com/US0J6xyVxO
— Palestine Action (@Pal_action) September 9, 2024
Whilst this action is taking place, there are 16 Palestine Action political prisoners detained for trying to stop a genocide.
Palestine Action’s ongoing blockade demonstrates the direct action group will not be deterred from it’s goal to shut Elbit down. The site, used to manufacture weapons sights and target acquisition products for the Israeli military was previously entered and dismantled by activists in June.
Palestine Action pledge to continue direct action against Elbit Systems, until the Israeli weapons manufacturer can no longer operate in Britain.
Instro: complicit in Israel’s genocide
The premises, at Sandwich’s ‘Discovery Park’, regularly export ‘ML5’-category weapons sight and target acquisition products to Israel, with at least 50 export licenses for arms sold for ‘military end use’ in Israel approved within a five-year period.
Instro’s weapons products, including XACT th64 and XACT th65 weapons sights, have been delivered in their thousands to the Israeli military for use by “marksmen of both Infantry and Special Operation Forces”, including those conducting ground operations in Gaza. Instro furthermore manufactures target acquisition products fitted to Israeli Skylark drones and to ground vehicles with “hunter-killer capabilities”. All of these products can potentially comprise Instro’s dozens of ‘ML5’ category exports.
Last week’s announcement that the government will continue to permit 90% of Britain’s weapons exports to Israel, necessitates the continuation of action in response to British complicity in the genocide of Palestinians.
Furthermore, Elbit Systems continues to profit from genocide by selling weaponry globally which is marketed as “battle-tested” on the Palestinian people.
Palestine Action: stepping up against Elbit
A Palestine Action spokesperson said:
Despite the ongoing Gaza genocide, Britain has allowed 92% of arms export licenses to continue and given permission for Israeli weapons factories to keep operating across the country. Although our government have failed to take meaningful action, ordinary citizens refuse to be complicit in the mass murder of Palestinians and are stepping up to shut Elbit down.
Featured image via Palestine Action
