ACTIVISTS have blockaded a Scottish manufacturing factory in protest over the ongoing bombardment of Gaza.
More than 100 protesters have shut down the entrances to the BAE Systems site in Govan, urging the company to end their ties with Israel and “cease all weapons, defence and supplies trading” with the state.
The action began at 6am on Thursday morning, organised by an autonomous local group in coordination with Workers for a Free Palestine.
It is understood factory workers have been sent home with full pay as the site has shut down for the day.
The factory is understood to be one of four sites being targeted in the UK to disrupt the flow of arms to Israel, with more than 1000 workers and concerned citizens simultaneously blockading arms factories.
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The group in Glasgow said the action being taken by “an unprecedented number of people” was organised in response to a call by Palestinian trade unionists for workers around the world to “stop war crimes being committed by the Israeli government”.
One activist said that whilst the Scottish Government has voted for a ceasefire, she is “disgusted” that “Scottish Enterprise has given funding to BAE”.
The Ferret previously revealed that arms firms in Scotland who sell weapons to Israel received nearly £10 million in grants from Scottish Enterprise. Weapons provided to Israel by arms firms with sites in Scotland include rocket launchers, bombs and machine gun systems.
The UK’s largest arms company, BAE Systems, which manages the factory in Govan, was given £1.6m. BAE is a partner of US arms firm Lockheed Martin on the F35 combat aircraft which Israel uses and produced the Mk 38 Mod 2 machine gun system.
Three other arms factories in different parts of the UK have been shut down with simultaneous actions in France, Denmark and the Netherlands.
It follows action on Monday, December 4 from activists in Glasgow who spray-painted slogans opposing the defence firm’s contribution to global emissions as well as its supply of weapons to the Israeli Defence Force.
On Thursday, carer Harsha, 35, said: “It’s not right that BAE Systems profit from the genocide in Gaza. I’m also disgusted that whilst the Scottish Parliament have voted to back a ceasefire and the First Minister has spoken up in support of the Palestinian people, Scottish Enterprise has given funding to BAE.
"This public money, our money, should be invested in caring, not killing.”
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Youth worker Scott added: “We are not here to shame or blame workers at BAE. The company’s management decides what to produce and who to sell to – it is them we hold accountable for being part of the chain of killing.”
Jay, 24, said he was demonstrating “to show that direct action is for everyone and that together, we can change the way the world turns".
He added: “I will not stand by while civilians are murdered with weapons from companies like BAE, Thales and Leonardo, which all have significant presence in Scotland.”
Govan also hosts a factory called Thales, which has multiple military connections to the Israeli government.
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