A campaign group has claimed responsibility after vans were used to crash into the gates of a factory in Shenstone.
Palestine Action say members were behind the incident this morning (3rd October) at the UAV Engines site on Lynn Lane.
One vehicle crashed into the gate while another was then used to block access to the site as activists locked themselves to it.
It is the latest incident at the factory where activists say parts are manufactured for use in Elbit drones used by the Israeli military.
A Palestine Action spokesperson said:
“This action is the latest in the shut Elbit down campaign, intent on driving up pressure on Israel’s largest arms company to leave.”
Palestine Action spokesperson
An Elbit Systems UK spokesperson said the incident was “dangerous and highly irresponsible”.
“We can confirm that a group deliberately crashed a vehicle into one gated entrance and blocked another entrance at UAV Engines Ltd. The police have made a number of arrests.
“Thankfully no one was hurt by this latest violent attempt to illegally enter the site of a decades-long established engineering firm.
“This action was taken without regard for the safety of our staff or local residents.
“Elbit Systems UK is proud to provide advanced technology and critical support for the UK armed forces.
“Using violence to intimidate our staff and attempting to disrupt this important work during a time of heightened global instability is dangerous and highly irresponsible.”
The courts need to heavily prosecute these domestic terrorists as soon at they are arrested. UAV is a place of work for many, the workforce do not need acts of violence and intimidation committed against them whist they are simply going to work. Perhaps the Palestine action group members should try getting a job also…
We need to be careful with our choice of words. “Domestic Terrorists”…..that phrase was also used to describe black protests during the Civil Rights Movement.
History will ultimately decide who’s on the right side of it.
I am worried that with the increasing threats from the right wing extremists we can soon experience another Shoah. I’m worried for my family.
They are domestic terrorists, what else can you call a criminal gang who have no regard for the life of others? Ramming a vehicle on a busy road with pedestrians and other vehicles around was dangerous and irresponsible. What are the police doing about this? Why haven’t they been locked up? The whole village has had enough of these violent activists.
@Rachel – Sorry, I’m not certain of the term used, Shoah as in the Holocaust, is that correct? Sadly, we are already experiencing similar situations around the world. There are Concentration camps (and the horrors that come along with them) in China for the Uyghur Muslims. While it is not currently at that level for Muslims in Palestine and Israel, it is undoubtedly an Apartheid. The Israeli authorities are forcing people to move out of their homes, in some cases cutting off the water supply or moving them by force when they refuse to move otherwise. They are also regularly stopping them from attending their places of worship, with beatings and violence (including to women and children) if they persist. I just wish the Israeli politicians realise what they are doing is not far from how some of their relatives were treated by the Nazis before the full extent of the Holocaust, and make a U-turn on their actions.
Not taking into account China, if we are to prevent another Holocaust-type situation in Europe from White supremacists (it’s scary what’s happening with Italy and Sweden at the moment), the Jewish and Muslim communities need to unite. Sadly the actions of the Israeli State don’t help.
Truss plans to cut £18 billion from public spending. How much of this will fall on the police? Those who voted to defund law and order can hardly complain when the police are cut.
Whilst I would defend the right to protest (unlike our current government), and after years of relative apathy it is nice to see the return of people expressing their objections to injustice, this is not protest but wanton vandalism. Like many world problems, there are two sides to this issue, but we are not hearing both sides of the argument. It comes across as the rise of a yob culture, which doesn’t do their case any favours.
Ohn Allen: I’m not sure “the other side” want you to hear their side of the argument.
One of the end uses of these devices is to viently suppress arguement.
If the protester’s feel really strongly about the plight of the Palestinians, why don’t they go to Israel and protest there.
Silly me they would get beaten up by the local police, let’s just stay in UK and the local police seem to do sod all.