UK pro-Palestine activists storm regional HQ of Israeli arms firm Elbit to ‘commemorate Nakba Day’

Pro-Palestinian activists in the UK said they "occupied and dismantled" the site of an Israeli arms firm, Elbit Systems, on Sunday to "commemorate Nakba Day". 

Palestine Action, which describes itself as a "direct-action network", stormed the Bristol headquarters of Elbit Systems UK, according to videos shared on social media. 

Nine people were arrested following the incident, and all are still in police custody at the time of writing. 

Avon and Somerset Police told The New Arab: "Intruders had forced entry to the property and barricaded themselves inside. There is damage to the building, including graffiti and smashed windows.

"By 8pm officers arrested six people on suspicion of aggravated burglary. A further three people were arrested outside the building on suspicion of criminal damage."

Palestine Action said in a statement sent to The New Arab: “We aim to permanently disrupt the British-Israeli weapons trade by halting Elbit’s production of weapons on British shores. 

"Our mission to #ShutElbitDown will continue. We intend to target every Elbit location and every complicit company across Britain," they said.  

Palestine Action has targeted a number of Elbit sites, including scaling the roof of factories in Chesire and Greater Manchester to stop their operations. 

Sunday's demonstration was organised to mark the Palestinian Nakba, when hundreds of thousands of people were expelled from their homes during the creation of the state of Israel in 1948. 

Elbit Systems manufactures military components for Israeli forces, who are engaged in systematic persecution of Palestinians across the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem.   

Their UK subsidiary employs 500 people and operates at over eight sites. 

Elbit Systems has previously told The New Arab: “[We are] well established in the UK, and will continue to provide cutting-edge solutions, manufactured in the UK, to meet the needs of British Armed Forces.”