PRESS RELEASE
21/06/21
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
- Activists have stormed and occupied the site of Elbit Ferranti in Oldham, Greater Manchester.
- Action follows a series of disruptions and actions taken against Elbit Systems, their suppliers, and landlords, in a bid to end Israel’s kill chain in the UK. Palestine Action have taken action 7 times in the past month alone, shutting down factories and sites across the UK.
- During escalation of violence in Gaza and occupied Palestine, police were stationed outside of Elbit Ferranti in Oldham, offering round-the-clock protection to prevent disruption to Ferranti’s manufacture of weapons technology and components for the Israeli military.
- Despite increased security and rapid police response, Palestine Action have occupied and shut down the site once again, using direct action to successfully stem the flow of weapons which would otherwise be used for war crimes.
At 6:30am this morning, activists stormed and occupied the site of Elbit Ferranti in Oldham, evading a heavy security presence and rapid police response, to successfully shut down the factory. The activists have scaled the roof, chained the gates shut, and have covered the building in blood-red paint. In occupying the site and preventing operations, activists are disrupting the flow of arms and military technology to Israel, where these would be used to commit war crimes against the Palestinian people.
The site, at Cairo House, Greenacres Road, Oldham, Greater Manchester, is the latest to be targetted in a number of successful actions taken by Palestine Action against Elbit Systems, their subsidiaries, landlords, and partners. The group has taken action at 7 sites in the UK in the past month alone – with most of these actions being multiple days-long occupations of factories.
Since the beginning of increased Israeli military operations against the people of Gaza, starting in the wake of waves of violence in Jerusalem in May 2021, police were seen stationed at Elbit Ferranti and other Elbit factories, offering round-the-clock protection for the manufacture of Israel’s arms. Elbit and the police are scared – aware of the growing movement of people who recognise the power of direct action, understand the role that Elbit weaponry plays in Israel’s war crimes, and want Elbit out of our communities. Despite the police operating as Elbit’s private bodyguards, Palestine Action have once again shut down Elbit Ferranti – and will continue to do so until all Elbit sites are shut down for good.
A Palestine Action spokesperson has said:
“This takeover of Elbit Ferranti is our latest action in a series of disruptions to Israel’s arms trade, and we’re only just getting started. Despite an increase in security, a rapid police response and specially designated patrols, activists are occupying Elbit’s lethal arms factory in Oldham. Once again, we have brought Israel’s arms production in the UK to a grinding halt.
When our government facilitates Israel’s apartheid regime, and allows corporations to commit murder, it is our duty to take action. Palestine Action continues to build a mass direct action movement and expose Elbit’s role in Israel’s crimes. The campaign will continue until Elbit Ferranti and all other Elbit sites in the UK are shut down for good.
This past week has seen the shelling of Gaza resume. Previous bombing operations against Gaza have been used as an opportunity for Elbit and other arms manufacturers to ‘field-test’ their weapons on Palestinians. Its up to us to halt the production of these weapons which are ‘tested’ on Palestinians and then exported to repressive regimes globally.”
The Elbit Ferranti site in Oldham is used for the manufacture of specialist military products and technology – including the SkEye persistent surveillance system for Elbit’s Hermes 450 and 900 drones, both of which have been used extensively in successive Israeli bombardments of Gaza. Ferranti advertise the manufacture of the SpectroXR ultra-long range imaging system at the Oldham site – which is again used in Hermes drones. The site is also used in the manufacture of IronVision helmets for use in battle tans such as the Carmel, which has been designed specifically for operations in densely built, urban areas (Gaza).
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
If you would like any further information on this action or on Palestine action, please contact media@palestineaction.org or our press line at 07840150925
For rolling updates of ongoing actions please check the Palestine Action Twitter account
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 action at the Oldham Ferranti site, undertaken collaboratively with XR: https://mondoweiss.net/2021/02/palestine-action-and-extinction-rebellion-activists-shut-down-israeli-arms-factory/
Some previous Palestine Action occupations and actions:https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-57184318https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-palestine-uk-leicester-activists-shut-down-arms-factoryhttps://palestineaction.org/tamworth-occupied/
https://realmedia.press/palestine-action-occupy-elbit-again/
Elbit SystemsInformation on the suffering inflicted by Elbit’s drones, including the Hermes: https://corporatewatch.org/elbit-systems-company-profile-2/
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/
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/