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From 7AM, Palestine Action began occupying the entrance of Aviva’s Manchester office at The Observatory, Chapel Walks, M2 1HN. Activists climbed on top of the revolving doors, stuck Palestine flags on the wall and a banner to the front which reads “Aviva Palestina”. Aviva provides the mandatory employers liability insurance for UAV Engines in Staffordshire, a drone engine factory owned by Israel’s biggest weapons manufacturer, Elbit Systems.

This action follows two days of actions against Allianz Insurance, as part of a sustained disruption of the supply chain of Elbit Systems, Israel’s biggest weapons manufacturer. Allianz also provide insurance for Elbit Systems weapons factories in Britain.

On Sunday 9th March, a drone flying the Palestine flag was flown over the Allianz Twickenham Stadium during the England v Italy Six Nations match and in London yesterday the canopy of their London offices were occupied and doused in paint – forcing Allianz’s London headquarters shut. 

Palestine Action had previously targeted Aviva’s offices in Bristol and Scotland, and have continuously taken direct action against insurance companies with ties to Elbit systems, including actions at dozens of Allianz locations across Europe since October 2024.

Latest intel shows that whilst Aviva no longer holds direct shares in Elbit Systems, however Aviva continues to hold investments in other funds which hold Elbit shares.

A spokesperson for Palestine Action said: “Both Allianz and Aviva, directly enable the production of Israeli weapons in Britain by providing Israeli weapons factories with the insurance they need to operate. Therefore, Palestine Action will continue to take direct action until they cease all ties with Elbit Systems, Israel’s biggest weapons producer.

No longer will ordinary people allow companies on our doorsteps to profit from the manufacture of weapons which are “battle-tested” on Palestinians.”

ENDS 

NOTES TO EDITORS 

Palestine Action is a direct action group committed to dismantling the apartheid regime in Israel through targeted campaigns against companies that profit from the occupation and genocide of the Palestinian people. Using disruptive tactics, Palestine Action challenges the corporate enablers of the Israeli state’s military-industrial complex and seeks to make it impossible for these companies to profit from the oppression of Palestinians. [palestineaction.org] 

For further information or to arrange interviews, please contact: media@palestineaction.org