Free The Elbit 2 – Support Palestine Action Political Prisoners

Jun 6, 2022

FREE THE ELBIT 2

Two Palestine Action activists remain imprisoned, after being arrested by police for taking action on May 15th, Nakba Day, the commemoration of the 1948 Nakba which saw 800,000 Palestinians ethnically cleansed from Palestine, at Elbit Systems Bristol HQ Offices. Elbit Systems is Israel’s largest private arms company and markets its weapons as “combat proven” on Palestinians. Alongside seven other activists, they made their way onto the premises of the site, covering the outside of the building in red paint before breaking through an office window and making their way inside while other activists blocked road access to the site. Once the activists gained access to one of the office rooms inside, they damaged equipment belonging to Elbit. The Bristol location, which is leased from Sedgemoor District Council, is Elbit’s main operational facility in Britain. These activists took direct action against Elbit Systems to demand an end to British complicity with Israeli Apartheid. 

The two activists, Ronnie Barkan and Stavit Sinai, are both foreign nationals. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) argued that they were both a flight risk and at risk of “reoffending”, due to having been charged with actions taken against Elbit, during the bombing of Gaza in May 2021. The next opportunity to appeal for their release is at their plea hearing at Bristol Crown Court on 15th June 2021. If they are refused bail at this hearing, they will remain imprisoned until their trial (no date set). 

This represents a concerted and intensified attempt by the British State to repress Palestine Action admist increased actions against Elbit Systems operations throughout the country. Palestine Actions success to date has been used by the CPS as a means in which to target activists in order to protect Israel’s arms trade in Britain. We refuse to backdown to the crackdown and are calling on our supporters to show their solidarity with the two political prisoners.

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