Protesters from Palestine Action have shut down the London HQ of a weapons firm in ramp-up ahead of Saturday’s Remembrance Day march.
Footage from outside the buildings shows two protesters spraying the outside of the building with red paint, lighting flares, and locking on.
Once locked on, the protesters can be heard shouting pro-Palestine slogans. Palestine Actions’ latest protest marks a ramp-up in tension ahead of a march due to take place on Remembrance Day.
Up to a million people are expected to march through Central London on Saturday as the nation commemorates all those who have fought, died and served in wars.
In a statement, Palestine Action said: “At 7am, before workers could enter the London offices of Thales’ weapons firm, two activists from Palestine Action attached themselves to each other using lock-on devices, preventing all access to the Quadrant.
“The premises were also drenched with red paint using repurposed fire extinguishers, symbolising the bloodshed of the Palestinian people.
“On the day of the international call to action under the ‘Shut It Down for Palestine’ banner, Palestine Action have this morning acted on that call.
“As ever, these activists have put their liberty on the line, using direct action to respond to Palestinian pleas for the world to stop supplying arms to, and to reject complicity with, Israel’s apartheid regime.”
The group claimed that Thales partners with Israeli weapons company Elbit, whom the group have targeted in the past.
They added: “Thales partners with Israel’s largest weapons company, Elbit Systems, under their joint venture ‘UAV Tactical Systems’ (or U-TacS).
“U-TacS operates from their factory in Leicester, a site which has been targeted by direct action for over two years. This site is used for the export of equipment for military drones in huge volumes to Israel.”
Palestine Action also claimed that the UK arm of Thales supplies arms “independently” to Israel and that the death toll “attributable to these drones” is “incalculable”.
Palestine Action’s protest is the latest in a series of dramatic actions ahead of a planned pro-Palestine march on Armistice Day.
Around a million people are estimated to be taking part with involvement from several protest groups including Just Stop Oil and Stop the War.
In recent days there have been growing calls for the march to be called off while the Metropolitan Police has also come under for not banning the protest.
In a statement, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the protest was “provocative and disrespectful” and would be holding the chief of the Metropolitan Police accountable for the march.
The Met Police has been contacted for comment.
