Pro-Palestinian activists stage blockades at military suppliers in UK, US
In a coordinated effort, pro-Palestinian demonstrators took to the streets, blocking entrances to military supplier facilities in the United Kingdom and the United States. The protestors, joined by trade unionists, displayed banners and Palestinian flags outside a BAE Systems factory in southeastern England, the UK’s largest military supplier.
Signs bearing slogans such as “Stop arming Israel” and “No business as usual” were prominent at the Rochester, Kent site, where the assembly and testing of electronic equipment for military aircraft and surveillance systems occur.
The demonstrators aimed to draw attention to their cause, explicitly targeting BAE’s role in supplying components for military aircraft utilized by Israeli forces in the ongoing Gaza bombardment. Organizers labeled the protest as part of an “international day of action for Palestine,” echoing a call from Palestinian trade unionists.
Simultaneously, in the United States, protestors gathered outside the Northrop Grumman office complex in San Diego, California, on Thursday. Their focus was on denouncing the sale of weapons to Israel, with placards demanding an immediate end to the Gaza genocide. The protests in both countries reflect a growing international movement advocating for change in arms sales policies concerning Israel.