Red paint and “Drop Elbit” graffiti sprayed in coordinated actions against insurance firm

~ Cristina Sykes ~

Palestine Action says its activists have paint-targeted 10 offices of Allianz, the world’s largest insurance firm, to demand the company stop insuring and investing in Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems. Activists covered the premises in paint and messages such as “Drop Elbit”, and this morning also occupied the front overhang of the entrance to the company’s Guildford headquarters.

Allianz has previously been described as Elbit’s “principle institutional shareholder“, at-one-point owning over 2% of the company. The finance company continues to hold thousands of shares in Elbit Systems Ltd., while according to the group its subsidiary ‘Allianz Insurance Products Trust’ provides insurance services for Elbit Systems UK, including employment insurance. 

The campaign against Elbit’s backers has seen companies like Barclays and BNY Mellon shut down repeatedly, to raise-the-stakes of their dealings with genocide. “If Allianz refuses to understand that dealing with Elbit is immoral, it must be made clear that maintaining its involvement will become increasingly unprofitable”, said Palestine in a statement.

Top image: Guildford. Photo: Martin Pope