Leicester Fire Brigades Union Chair Graham Vaux has released an official statment following the FBU’s refusal to cooperate in police operation to remove Palestine Action activists from the roof of Elbit’s UAV Tactical Systems factory in Leicester
The Fire Brigade were called in to assist the police operation aimed to disrupt the direct action and end the occupation of the Leicester site, but FBU intervention ensured their members did not contribute to the police’s protection of war criminals. The occupation of the site continues – with the site being shut down since 5:30am on Wednesday 19th May
Since 5:30 in the morning of Wednesday 19th May, Palestine Action have been occupying Elbit’s factory, at the Elbit-Thales joint venture UAV Tactical Systems in Leicester. The site – used for the manufacture of drones – has been barricaded, with activists taking control of the roof, damaging premises and spraying red paint over the building.
The Fire Brigade were called in as part of an operation involving police and private security, to assist in the removal of actionists so that the production of drones destined for the IDF may have resumed. When the Fire Brigades Union were alerted to the action being undertaken at the site, FBU officials immediately intervened. Leicestershire Brigade Chair Graham Vaux, speaking on behalf of the FBU, released the following statement:
“Leicestershire Fire Brigade Union members were called to an incident in Leicester involving protesters on the roof of a commercial premises that is alleged to manufacture drones destined for use by the Israeli military.
Originally the Fire Service was requested to attend to assure the safety of a group of people on a roof.
The Fire Brigades Union were made aware that the protesters were representing the Palestinian solidarity group Palestine Action. Union Officials immediately reminded Senior Managers that as firefighters, we are, and remain, a proud humanitarian service and our role does not involve law enforcement.
Once the safety of those involved had been confirmed, Fire Brigades Union members withdrew from the incident. The Fire Brigades Union stand in support of Palestinian solidarity and the right to protest.”
The Fire Brigades Union have acted in true solidarity, forming part of a global direct action movement which is refusing complicity in the atrocities being committed in Gaza. Italian dockworkers refusing to load arms destined for the IDF, Palestinians undertaking a 48 hour general strike, Palestine Action activists disrupting the Israeli war machine, and now the valiant members of the Fire Brigades Union – workers across the globe are taking direct action and standing against Israel’s war crimes.
The occupation of Elbit’s Leicester site continues, and the factory remains closed. Direct action will continue until Elbit Systems is closed for good.
Today’s action – the first time Elbit’s Leicester site has been targetted – follows a series of direct actions taken to disrupt Elbit operations across their UK offices and factories. Palestine Action have previously struck at Elbit sites in Oldham, Staffordshire, Bristol, London and Kent. Palestine Action is believed to have caused Elbit at the very least £2million in losses – either through property damage or by preventing the production and sale of munitions and military tech.
NOTES
Palestine Action
- Palestine Action is a direct-action network of groups and individuals formed with the mandate of taking direct action against Elbit Systems’ UK locations at grassroots level, calling for them all to be shut down and for the British government to end its complicity in Israeli apartheid.
- Previous (April 13-14) Palestine Action direct action held at Elbit Ferranti plant in Oldham, and Elbit’s Bristol HQ:https://palestineaction.org/palestine-action-strikes-again/ https://palestineaction.org/five-arrested/
- Other previous Palestine Action actions:
- For rolling updates on today’s action please check the Palestine Action Twitter account
Elbit Systems
- Role of Elbit drone in killing of four children paying on Gaza beach in 2014: https://theintercept.com/2018/08/11/israel-palestine-drone-strike-operation-protective-edge/
- More on the death and destruction inflicted by Elbit’s drones upon Gaza: https://corporatewatch.org/elbit-systems-company-profile-2/
- Elbit surveillance technology for Israel’s apartheid wall: https://www.facing-finance.org/en/database/cases/elbit-systems-surveillance-system-torch-for-the-separation-barrier-in-israelpalestine/
- UK Ministry of Defence signs £102 million contract with Elbit Systems UK for “sensor-to-shoot” system: https://www.army-technology.com/news/uk-mod-orders-elbit-detect-and-destroy-system/