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In Sevenoaks Magisrates’ Court, five activists have been acquitted on their second day of trial, after they took action to halt the production of Israeli weapons sights and targeting systems by ‘Instro Precision’ in Kent.

On April 15th, 2024, the activists secured themselves to lock-on devices to prevent all entry and operations at Instro’s Discovery Park, Sandwich facility, which is owned by Israel’s largest weapons firm Elbit Systems [1, 2]. On the A15 Global Day of Action for a Free Palestine, the activists halted manufacture at the premises – which is one of the highest-volume exporters of arms from Britain to Israel [3].

Following their arrest at the site, the activists were charged with “locking on” or “being equipped for locking on”, new offences under the Public Order Act 2023. They plead not guilty to the charges. They entered court to prove that Elbit, the firm arming genocide in Gaza, is the guilty party.

During proceedings, inconsistencies between police witness statements and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) evidence led for calls for dismissal of the charges brought against them. Unable to account for the misrepresentations or falsehoods within police statements, the prosecution could not prove their case. On the second day of trial, the CPS informed the Court that they would offer no evidence. The five were therefore acquitted of all charges.

A Palestine Action spokesperson has stated:
“Whether these activists were aqcuitted or convicted, they should be proud to know that they had taken material action against complicity in Israel’s war crimes.

Despite Elbit’s attempts to collude with the police, CPS, and Home Office on prosecuting and repressing the anti-genocide movement, the cops’ mistruths have undone their case.”

In 2024, according to recent FOI disclosures, Instro Precision was granted over a dozen weapons export licenses for the permanent shipment of arms to Israel [4]. Most of the goods exported to Israel by Instro fall under category ‘ML5b’ (target acquisition and related systems). Instro’s products include SpectroXR imaging systems for Israel’s Skylark drones [5], while Elbit has boasted that thousands of the ‘XACT’ weapons sights systems manufactured by Instro have been delivered to the Israeli military for use by “marksmen of both Infantry and Special Operation Forces” [6].

ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS

If you would like any further information on Palestine action, please contact media@palestineaction.org

Palestine Action is a direct-action network of groups and individuals formed with the mandate of taking action against the sites of Elbit Systems and other companies complicit in Israeli apartheid, calling for all such sites to be shut down.

[1] https://freedomnews.org.uk/2024/04/15/palestine-action-blockades-elbits-instro-precision/

[2] https://x.com/Pal_action/status/1779763701278486754
[3] Instro Precision has been granted over 50 export licenses for weapons shipments to Israel since 2008 caat.org.uk/data/exports-uk/licence-list?region=Israel&company=Elbit+Systems
[4] https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/elbit_uk_israel_export_licence_d/response/2868897/attach/html/5/Annex%20C%20IC%20305234%20C3C8.pdf.html
[5] https://instro.com/products/target-acquisition-and-joint-fires/spectro-xr/
[6] elbitsystems.com/pr-new/elbit-systems-xact-weapon-sights-enter-operational-service-with-the-idf/