After a years-long campaign against Israel’s arms manufacturer Elbit Systems by Palestine Action, residents of Bristol have joined in – by blockading the genocide-enabling company’s factory in the city.
Bristol: stop arming Israel
A group of approximately 40 Bristol residents are currently blockading a weapons factory in North Bristol, UK. At approximately 7am on Wednesday 6 November, protestors arrived outside Elbit Systems with banners and Palestine flags:
Protestors have chosen Elbit Systems, an Israeli-based military technology company, because Elbit currently supplies 85% of Israel’s drone fleet and land-based military equipment. The protestors have formed a line to encourage workers to join them and prevent vehicles from entering the site in response to their concerns about the current conflict in Gaza.
This is not the first protest Elbit has seen, with various protests over previous months challenging Elbit’s role in supplying weapons to the Israeli government. Bristol residents have come out in their numbers to oppose this.
Jan Taylor who lives near the site said:
Elbit has persistently ignored Bristol residents’ cries to stop supporting genocide in Gaza! Imagine if it was our children being carpet bombed? Elbit needs to acknowledge their part in this.
Protestors have been singing and calling for workers to join the group in order to prevent the factory from functioning as normal for the day.
Daniel Clark from Bristol said:
Not on my land. I was born and raised in Bristol and I can’t believe this is still going on. Elbit declares its weapons are ‘battle ready’ as they have tested their equipment on innocent Palestinians. Get out Elbit!
Elbit: arming Israel’s genocide
Since the latest conflict broke out in October 2023, the latest death toll in Gaza stands at 44,142 Palestinians, including 16,765 children.
As the Canary has documented, Elbit Systems is Israel’s largest weapons manufacturer, who produce weapons which are marketed as “battle-tested” on the Palestinian people. They provide 85% of Israel’s military drone fleet and land based equipment, as well as bullets, missiles, and digital warfare.
Elbit’s Israel-based CEO, Bezhalel Machlis, who also sits on the board of Elbit Systems UK, explained how the company has “ramped up production” to meet the demand of the Israeli military’s genocidal campaign in Gaza and across the wider region.
The International Court of Justice has ruled it’s plausible Israel is committing genocide — a genocide armed by Elbit Systems. So, people in Bristol are right to take action – as is Palestine Action.
Featured image and additional images supplied
