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UK Palestine Action blockades Israeli drone factory in Leicester

Tuesday, 21 November 2023 11:15 AM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 21 November 2023 11:24 AM ]

Palestine Action activists block the entrance to a factory owned by Israeli regime’s largest private arms industry in UK. (Photo via Getty Images)

Pro-Palestinian activists in the UK blockaded a factory that makes military drones for the Israeli regime in Leicester in solidarity with Palestinians under Israeli attacks in Gaza.

Activists from Palestine Action mounted the action on Monday at UAV Tactical Systems (U-TacS) in Meridian East Business Park, which is owned by Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems.

They blocked the entrance to the site by chaining themselves to a van or lying in front of cars.

“UAV Tactical Systems is a joint venture of Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest arms manufacturer, and French arms company Thales,” Palestine Action said in a statement.

“Today’s action is a concrete form of solidarity with the Palestinians under attack while Western governments insist on supporting Israel to the hilt despite growing public opposition,” it added.

It also said that it will continue to confront “British complicity” in the genocide of Gaza until all links have been broken.

“Palestine Action last hit the U-TacS site following the massacre of over 500 people in al-Ahli Arabi Baptist Hospital, and this past week the world has once again witnessed the brutal attack and occupation of al-Shifa Hospital by Israeli forces,” the statement said making a reference to Israel’s incessant war on hospitals in the besieged enclave.

Eyes on Elbit: Siege continues at Leicester’s Israeli arms factory

The factory is owned by Elbit Systems, the Israeli regime’s largest private arms industry, along with Thales, an equally unscrupulous French weapons firm.

Elbit Systems is notoriously known as Israel’s number one manufacturer of killer drones making up to 85 percent of Israel’s drone fleet.

UK Palestine Action has been targeting Elbit factories for more than two years.

It has laid siege to the company in locations across Britain, leading to the permanent closure of two sites including the London headquarters of Elbit and a factory in Greater Manchester, and costing the company more than $400 million in lost contracts with the British Ministry of Defense.

Israel launched a war on Gaza on October 7 leading to the death of more than 13,300 Palestinians, including more than 5,600 children and 3,550 women, with 31,000 people wounded so far.

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