Palestine Action targets Instro Precision at Discovery Park again

September 9, 2024 Kathy Bailes News 97

Demonstrators at Instro Precision (Image Palestine Action)

Palestine Action activists have blocked all entrance roads to the Instro Precision factory in Discovery Park, once again shutting down the Kent factory of company, Elbit Systems.

Activists have used vehicles to obstruct the entrances and have climbed on top of security boxes and the ledge of Discovery Park House. The premises has been covered in red paint, which the group says symbolises Palestinian bloodshed spilt by Elbit’s weaponry.

This is the fourth time this year Instro Precision has been targeted. In June activists claimed to have caused more than £1m in damage at the site in their protest against the use of arms against people in Gaza. Seven protestors were arrested on suspicion of aggravated burglary. Seven protestors have also previously faced charges of locking on and interfering with key national infrastructure for protests in March.

Activists say today’s (September 9) ongoing blockade demonstrates the direct action group will not be deterred from its goal to shut Elbit down. Palestine Action pledge to continue direct action against Elbit Systems, until the Israeli weapons manufacturer can no longer operate in Britain.

Photo Martin Pope

Police are present at the scene. A Kent Police spokesperson said: “Kent Police officers are currently at Discovery Park, Sandwich after being called to a report of a protest shortly before 7.15am on Monday 9 September.”

The Instro site, on Artillery Way in the Discovery Park estate,  is owned by Elbit Systems, which provides a range of weaponry, including military drone fleet and land-based equipment. It also manufactures XACT nv33 Night Vision Goggles (NVGs) for the British Army as part of a contract awarded by the UK Ministry of Defence to the company in 2021.

Instro provides systems to different sectors of the UK military and also to other Aerospace and Defence companies in the UK.

Photo Martin Pope

Activists say the factory exports ‘ML5’-category weapons sight and target acquisition products to Israel, with at least 50 export licenses for arms sold for ‘military end use’ in Israel approved within a 5-year period.

They add that Instro’s weapons products, including XACT th64 and XACT th65 weapons sights, have been delivered in their thousands to the Israeli military for use by “marksmen of both Infantry and Special Operation Forces” including those conducting ground operations in Gaza.

The group says the action is also spurred by last week’s announcement that “the government will continue to permit 90% of Britain’s weapons exports to Israel.”

Photo Martin Pope

The government has taken the decision that the UK will suspend arms export licences to Israel for use in military operations in Gaza, following a review of Israel’s compliance with international humanitarian law.

The UK’s export licensing criteria states that the government will not issue export licences if the items might be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of International Humanitarian Law.

The government announced the suspension a number of export licences to Israel as required under the Export Controls frameworks. The suspension will apply to around 30 items used in the current conflict in Gaza which go to the IDF, from a total of 350 licences to Israel. The list of suspended items includes important components which go into military aircraft, including fighter aircraft, helicopters and drones as well as items which facilitate ground targeting, that would be used in Gaza.

UK components for the multi-national F-35 joint strike fighter programme are excluded from the decision, except where going directly to Israel.

An Instro Precision spokesperson previously said: “This facility is designed to meet the requirements of the UK armed forces and in particular support the British Army with a range of state-of-the-art electro optics and night vision systems. It is highly irresponsible to sabotage this work, particularly during a period of global instability.”

An escalated armed conflict between Israel and Hamas-led Palestinian groups has been taking place chiefly in and around the Gaza Strip since 7 October 2023.

97 Comments

  2. I’m impressed at the courage of these people. It’s such a shame that our Governments force people to take action, to stop genocidal attacks on civilians, because they have refused to comply with international law.

      • If their own country is breaking international laws & Lammy’s recent removal of multiple licences indicates the UK has been doing just that for nearly a year, then they might think they have a valid reason.

      • I condemn the attack on 7th October 2023, but I also condemn Israel’s attack on Gaza.

        The business manufacturing weapons isn’t the Discovery site is doing so legally under English Law and whilst the protesters have a right to protest, criminal damage is not legitimate protest.

        The weapon systems are also being made and supplied to our own forces and blocking them could be deemed treason or an act of terror, depending on what is done.

        The protesters, if they overstep from legitimate protest to criminal damage should be treated the same way as the “far right” rioters (many of whom don’t actually know what they are rioting about and aren’t actually anymore far right than far left and are more like “far out”

    • Well done to these protesters, once again. And when will Elbit Systems get the message that they need to pack up their horrid business?

  3. Al Jazeera TV reported over 40,000 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli’s since last October, and over 15,000 children and babies, they were murdered for being Palestinians, its called “Collective Punishment” and is a war crime! The pathetic excuse that Israel has the right to defend its borders, is shameful! How can Israel raise domestic buildings to the ground in Gaza, turn off the water, and electricity be acceptable, forcing tens of thousands of Palestinians, the elderly, the sick, disabled, women, and children to live in makeshift tents, on meagre rations be justified?

    Before last October 7th, Israel was holding hundreds of Palestinian men and women hostage in Israel, not many people know that! Now the figure is over 10,000! The Israeli forces are kidnapping mostly young men and women, and imprisoning them without trial! I was supporting the Palestinians for some years before last October by donating to “Medical Aid for Palestinians” by monthly DD, and over the phone on: 020 7226 4114. What would be the world outcry if the situation was reversed, and it was Jews being attacked the same way, as they were by German NAZI’s.

    • Israel: “Give us back the 200+ hostages you’ve taken or we will raze Gaza to the ground to get them back.”
      Hamas: “Not on your nelly, do one.”
      Israel: Proceeds to raze Gaza to the ground.
      Imagine how many Palestinians would still be alive today if Hamas had returned the hostages?

      • The Israelis would still have committed the same atrocities. Palestinians have the right to defend themselves from genocide and the decades of brutal abuse they have suffered. The Israeli government was central to the planning for this whole debacle and will sacrifice it’s own people in the effort to kill it otherwise remove all Palestinians from Palestine.

        • You are stating something as a fact with no evidence. How can you possibly know how the Israelis would have responded to the immediate return of the 200+ hostages?
          Are you suggesting that the Israeli government was involved in the planning for the 7th October attack? Could you present anything to back up this outlandish claim?

          • How do you know that. Give it further thought Mudboy and you may see that 80 years of abuse, murder, land theft, imprisonment without trial, all these things showvthectruevinent of Israel.

          • You need to explore Israel’s “Hannibal Directive”. Many Israeli’s killed on Oct 7th were victims of this policy, basically it says kill soldiers or civilians to prevent hostage situations.
            Also many Israeli’s were killed by IDF action, read Haaratz and see.

          • I’ve given it further thought and can find nothing to suggest that the Israelis were involved in the planning for the 7th October attack, it being fomented by Hamas after all.

  4. Man protest is all we have. Far out to these guys.
    Literally these innocent folk are being killed and maimed on a daily basis.
    Now we will have folk being pushed out of the West Bank by illegal settlers… it’s happening and it’s happening right now.
    For clarity Hammas is a terrorist organisation.
    What those guys did to Israel was barbaric.
    Love and peace man.

    • Just to clarify, the ANC was once considered to be a terrorist organisation.
      History has proven countless times that things considered to be right at a particular time turn out to be far from so.

      • I was once a member of the ANC Mr Brown, in the 80’s, and it wasn’t illegal in the UK! Pity it fell into decline, and corruption, which is when I resigned! But it was a revolutionary liberating organisation, and it did “Free Nelson Mandela”.

  5. Two tier policing again.
    These criminals should be jailed the same as the rioters were a couple of weeks ago. Caused a million pounds worth of damage? That’s a serious amount of jail time they are due.
    Want to protest about something in Palestine? Go and do it out there where they don’t give a duck what you do..

  6. Just bloody shoot them and get on with life!

    If they’re that concerned with what is going on over there, I suggest they go there and protest at the source!

    Instead the cowards disrupt the people trying to work.

      • But this UK Company is complicit in weapons manufacturing that kills &maims thousands of innocent people in Palestine

      • Well, you might want to tell that to the many innocent and unarmed people of Northern Ireland shot by British forces. And Charles de Menezis? And the countless thousands in Iraq in Blair’s (still looking for those weapons) war. And we’re approaching the 80th anniversary of the murder if 28 Greeks protesting (peacefully) at the British imposing a monarch on them after they kicked the Nazis out of their country.

    • What? Like the American who went there to protest & got shot in the head for no reason the other day? Obviously they can stay alive & have far more impact here. We don’t shoot people for protesting, we don’t shoot them even when they are setting buildings on fire with people in them, while doing Nazi salutes-as we saw this summer with the self professed patriotic football thugs.

    • Scott we all have the right to protest and even in some cases cause damage to property (eg Greenham Common Women who were found not guilty after invading USAF property to cause damage)

  7. Yes, how dare some people disrupt the workers making weapons for mad people to use to commit mass murder in so called self-defence? Of course they should be allowed to carry on with their scheme to make big money from mass slaughter. What could possibly be wrong with that? What morals could possibly be involved?

  8. Good, the west should have nothing to do with Israel. What Israel is doing the the Palestinians is the same that the Nazi’s did to the Jews (which actually makes what they are doing so hard to understand) the world needs to stop turning a blind eye.

  9. Palestine shall be free. All strength to Palestine Action. The killing of over 40,000 Palestinian men, women and children is a massive war crime and it is the IDF that is a terrorist organisation. Netanyahu is a war criminal.

  13. I stand with Israel. From the river to the sea ISRAEL shall be FREE! There is no such thing as Palestinian’s, they are just trespassing invaders. I can’t believe how many of you out there are Hamas supporters. You support the rape, torture and murder of babies, women, men and families … shame on you! Study your history, Israel has been Jewish for thousands of years. Long live Israel, & peace be to Jerusalem. Lock up these thugs harassing Elbit Systems.

      • Mr Brown, who cares what the Canaanites welcomed? The land was given to the Jews C.1440bc. It seems you prefer to offer your support to the Canaanite’s, an evil, child sacrificing people?

    • So you mean Judea or some similar area of Palestine thousands of years ago? Jews clearly have lived in this area for thousands of years but so have others.
      And what if the others Dave? How would you feel if an Italian pitched up to yours and told you to leave, saying his ancestors lived on that land two thousand years ago? And when you said “no” he shot you and your family?
      Get real, Israel has been engaged in robbery with violence since 1948.
      And when did the West Bank occupants attack Israel? Israel is doing to Palestinians what Europeans did to native peoples in Africa, The Americas, Australia, etc.
      If you stand with genocidal nutters so be it but don’t dress it up as a historical right.

  14. Just to let you all know … If you agree with my post or not, Kathy Bailes at Thanet News manipulated my post, and removed the word “Arab (invaders)”. So obviously Thanet News is not impartial, & can we trust it? We will see if she publishes this?!

    • I remove stuff if it is inflammatory without needing to be, sometimes that is a better option than just not approving the entire post or shutting down comments. It is not a question of impartiality but being aware of the possibility of hate speech (and as owner of the site I reserve the right to do what I think is best in terms of all readers).

    • Hi M.M Rees, I believe the so called Palestinian’s are just Muslim’s from the surrounding nations (Jordan etc), & are not a people as such. I didn’t use the word ‘Muslim’, because I suspect Thanet News wouldn’t have allowed it. The term Palestine was coined by the Roman occupation, to upset the rebelling Jews.

        • Robert Edwards your answer is corrupt & ridiculous. The State of Israel was RE-established in 1948. At that time in Israel there were just a handful of Bedouin Nomads. I suspect you will tell me next that King David, the Temple Mount, and maybe even Jesus were Palestine, & not Jewish?

          • Dave, you are trying to spread Zionist lies regarding the founding of Israel in 1948. Zionism was established in the 19th century as a rejection of assimilation. It never existed previously. Palestine existed for centuries and thrived as such. Jews were a small minority, as such. Palestine’s history is well established, even during the time of the Ottoman Empire.
            Israel’s fate is sealed mainly because it is based on lies. The lies you insist on repeating here. You must be desperate

          • Dave, In 1945 the British population figures seem to be a million muslims, 135000 Christians and 553000 jews. In 1948 around 700,000 of the, non-jewish, residents were forced to leave by violence and threat, and quite a few were killed. This idea that Israel was a land without people for a people without a land is not just inaccurate it is a zionist trope to justify the taking of the land.
            The jews in Palestine may have been a majority in the 1st Century but were outnumbered by Christians a few hundred years later. As for historical occupation you need to consider the Arameans, the Geshur, Samaritans, Phoenicians, Philistines and the three Transjordan kingdoms from well before the Roman occupation. At this time there was the kingdom of Judea but it was a minor part of the whole area.
            Israel is also an interesting one because as a concept it is not a land but a spiritual home. This is why many orthodox jews view the State of Israel as a blasphemy, the spiritual home is supposed to come with the messiah, and this is not Netanyahu whatever he and some USA Christians believe.
            And, yes of course, the person named Jesus was a Palestinian jew, but so what!
            The issue today is about extreme violence being brought by an Israeli regime onto a civilian population.
            You will never convince me that killing babies is ever an answer to any solution, except, perhaps a “Final Solution” if that’s what you’re after.

    • Anne maybe you should be arrested as well in encouraging criminal damage? By the way what did you do for work or don’t you. Just an armchair clown!

      • Lawrence, You are better than that sort of comment. Does one have to work to be a decent human being?
        Our courts may disagree but it is legitimate to take proportionate action to prevent a crime. In this case the crime is murder and genocide.
        International law expects nation states to prevent this and for citizens to act accordingly.
        It’s the standard set by the Nürnburg Trials of nazi war criminals who were guilty of genocide and/or crimes against humanity.
        I refer you to Philippe Sands “East West Street” for engaging illumination.

        • Well in the first instance Garry get the spelling of my Christian name right! I’m just curious who Anne is, is she individual that generally shouted her mouth off here about the last government and the NHS? As for giving me a lecture on crime and international law very interesting especially from your viewpoint on what you consider is acceptable to do in this country against property. If one took your view there would be anarchy! I will leave it there.

    • There is no such thing as democracy in the world today. Democracy means rule by all the people. Impossible.
      It originated in the Greek city states when populations were much smaller.
      Israel is described by Netanyahu as a Jewish state which means only Jews can rule. The Arabs within Israel are second-class citizens. In other words, Israel is an apartheid state. It should be dismantled as white-ruled South Africa was.

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