UK drops ‘outdated’ drone program, relentlessly targeted by activists since 2021
~ Scott Harris ~
Palestine Action this morning locked on inside vehicles at the gates of Elbit’s UAV Engines site in Shenstone, Staffordshire. The company manufactures engines for Elbit’s drones, currently being used for genocidal attacks in Gaza.
Drones have been linked to documented war crimes, including the murder of seven aid workers in Gaza in April 2024. While the company denies it exports to Israel, export license data for military end-use proves their denials false.
The site has seen previous disruption by activists, who have shut it down with occupations, blockades, and vehicular lock-ons. The firm last year reported its first ever operating loss.
Currently, 22 Palestine Action political prisoners are detained in Britain, some subjected to repressive ‘counter terror’ powers—despite their campaign’s focus on non-violent economic damage and accountability.
Meanwhile, it was reported that Elbit Systems UK has lost its largest-ever British arms contract, worth over £2.1bn, after the Ministry of Defence scrapped its ‘outdated’ Watchkeeper drone programme with UAV Tactical Systems (U-TacS), a joint venture between Elbit and Thales. At its Leicester site, U-TacS was targeted by Palestine Action since May 2021, causing significant damage to premises and disruption to their operations.
Actions have intensified in the last year, including vehicular lock-ons, while the most recent action saw a lorry smash into the building before activists took to the roof, and used paint filled fire extinguishers to damage drones inside. This action led to structural damage and halted operations for several weeks.
Photos: Martin Pope
