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<a class="gmail-domain gmail-reader-domain" href="https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/asa-winstanley/palestine-action-legalizing-smashing-israeli-arms-factories">electronicintifada.net</a>
<h1 class="gmail-reader-title">Palestine Action is legalizing the smashing of Israeli arms factories</h1>
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<div class="gmail-reader-estimated-time" dir="ltr">January 28, 2022<br></div>
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<span><img src="https://electronicintifada.net/sites/default/files/styles/original_800w/public/2022-01/elbit-smash.jpg?itok=GjLPctUO×tamp=1643398360" alt="Activists on a rooftop smash windows" title="" style="margin-right: 25px;" width="392" height="261"></span><p>Activists smashed up an Israeli arms factory in the UK on Monday.</p><small>
<span>Palestine Action</span></small><p>For the second time within a week, <a href="https://electronicintifada.net/tags/palestine-action">Palestine Action</a> has <a href="https://www.palestineaction.org/dsei-dropped-charges/">won a major legal victory</a>.</p>
<p>UK government prosecutors dropped criminal charges against a member
of the direct action group, only one day before trial. Palestine Action
campaigns against Israeli drone giant <a href="https://electronicintifada.net/tags/elbit">Elbit</a>, which has nine remaining factories and offices in the UK.</p>
<p>Romford Magistrates Court in East London had been set to hear the case on Thursday.</p>
<p>But prosecutors dropped the case, conceding that there had been no “realistic prospect of conviction.”
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<blockquote><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Brick by brick, wall
by wall, Elbit’s factories are gonna fall. If you demolish Palestinian
homes, we’ll demolish your weapons factories. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ShutElbitDown?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ShutElbitDown</a> <a href="https://t.co/gi2vTaPjLo">pic.twitter.com/gi2vTaPjLo</a></p>— Palestine Action (@Pal_action) <a href="https://twitter.com/Pal_action/status/1485654837840822273?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 24, 2022</a></blockquote>
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This marks the third major legal victory for the campaigners since December, when the group’s first ever <a href="https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/asa-winstanley/not-guilty-palestine-action-acquitted-first-trial">trial ended in complete acquittal</a>.
<p>The magistrate was convinced by the three activists’ argument that
the damage they had caused to Elbit’s Shenstone factory near Birmingham
was proportionate in order to prevent a greater crime in Palestine. He
found all three not guilty.</p>
<p>And earlier this month, Palestine Action <a href="https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/asa-winstanley/israels-elbit-sells-uk-arms-factory-targeted-activists">succeeded in forcing Elbit</a> to sell one of its 10 UK factories. Nine remain.
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<blockquote><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Israel’s drone engines destroyed today by Palestine Action 🔨🧯<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ShutElbitDown?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ShutElbitDown</a> <a href="https://t.co/Urvp0fD8sH">pic.twitter.com/Urvp0fD8sH</a></p>— Palestine Action (@Pal_action) <a href="https://twitter.com/Pal_action/status/1485763072333692929?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 24, 2022</a></blockquote>
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In their second major legal win, last week three more Palestine Action campaigners <a href="https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/asa-winstanley/second-court-victory-palestine-action">had their charges dropped</a> on the eve of trial at Birmingham Magistrates Court.
<p>No wonder the Crown Prosecution Service this week decided that there
was an unrealistic prospect of conviction against Palestine Action in
London too.</p>
<p>The decision is even more extraordinary considering the events that had transpired in Shenstone on Monday this week.
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<blockquote><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Ladders can be used for climbing up AND knocking down... 😉🪜<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ShutElbitDown?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ShutElbitDown</a> <a href="https://t.co/NpKZ4HS8Pm">pic.twitter.com/NpKZ4HS8Pm</a></p>— Palestine Action (@Pal_action) <a href="https://twitter.com/Pal_action/status/1485623795440308224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 24, 2022</a></blockquote>
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On that day, Palestine Action chose to press its advantage and return to
the same factory in Shenstone which was the focus of its first two
legal victories.
<p>Activists then spent hours causing what looked like thousands of
dollars worth of damage to the UAV Engines factory – an Elbit subsidiary
which makes parts for its killer drones.</p>
<p>They smashed parts of the factory roof, and demolished some of the
building brick by brick. The group tweeted out some astonishing videos
and photos throughout the day.
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<blockquote><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Time to kick Elbit into the gutters. Join Palestine Action today: <a href="https://t.co/1q0pkJxH5I">https://t.co/1q0pkJxH5I</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ShutElbitDown?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ShutElbitDown</a> <a href="https://t.co/5rwztBAqAz">pic.twitter.com/5rwztBAqAz</a></p>— Palestine Action (@Pal_action) <a href="https://twitter.com/Pal_action/status/1485665843400921098?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 24, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Palestine Action - sounding the alarm on Elbit’s brutal business. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ShutElbitDown?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ShutElbitDown</a> <a href="https://t.co/C5rS2gnrNz">pic.twitter.com/C5rS2gnrNz</a></p>— Palestine Action (@Pal_action) <a href="https://twitter.com/Pal_action/status/1485692191192268803?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 24, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The activists made such large holes in the roof that they were able to
throw in objects causing more damage inside the building to what
appeared to be drone engines.
<p>Six activists were arrested Monday afternoon and released on bail the same evening. They have yet to be charged.
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<blockquote><p dir="ltr" lang="en">BREAKING: Palestine Actionists arrested with their mission accomplished; Israel's weapons factory shattered from inside and out <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ShutElbitDown?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ShutElbitDown</a> <a href="https://t.co/Ih4W3rZQaJ">pic.twitter.com/Ih4W3rZQaJ</a></p>— Palestine Action (@Pal_action) <a href="https://twitter.com/Pal_action/status/1485676953566908429?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 24, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote><p dir="ltr" lang="en">The Palestine Action
heroes who earlier today derailed an Israeli arms factory in Shenstone
have all been released from custody hours later. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ShutElbitDown?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ShutElbitDown</a>! <a href="https://t.co/nXe0TShLjB">pic.twitter.com/nXe0TShLjB</a></p>— Palestine Action (@Pal_action) <a href="https://twitter.com/Pal_action/status/1485739838599057408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 24, 2022</a></blockquote>
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In video statements the next day, the activists explained why they had
taken direct action against the killer drone parts factory. “A victory
for the Intifada is a victory for humanity,” <a href="https://twitter.com/Pal_action/status/1486036388998963214">said one</a>.
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<blockquote><p dir="ltr" lang="en">“A victory for the
Intifada is a victory for humanity” One activist saying it like it is -
practicing internationalism, solidarity and humanity means taking
action. Yesterday they did exactly that and <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ShutElbitDown?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ShutElbitDown</a>! <a href="https://t.co/YWvRE5H1Sn">pic.twitter.com/YWvRE5H1Sn</a></p>— Palestine Action (@Pal_action) <a href="https://twitter.com/Pal_action/status/1486036388998963214?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote><p dir="ltr" lang="en">One of our brilliant activists who <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ShutElbitDown?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ShutElbitDown</a> in Shenstone yesterday - find out why they took action and why you should too: <a href="https://t.co/16LUkyT4Kw">pic.twitter.com/16LUkyT4Kw</a></p>— Palestine Action (@Pal_action) <a href="https://twitter.com/Pal_action/status/1485993956286640134?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote><div dir="ltr" lang="en"><p>WATCH: Dismantling a killing machine...piece by piece.</p><p>6 x <a href="https://twitter.com/Pal_action?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Pal_action</a> activists carried out a bold - & smashing - action at Shenstone, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Elbit?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Elbit</a>'s subsidiary. Two drone engines were visible inside.</p><p>More here ➡️ <a href="https://palestine-action-dismantling-the-war-machine">https://palestine-action-dismantling-the-war-machine</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ShutElbitDown?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ShutElbitDown</a> <a href="https://t.co/nS8sY0Ykue">pic.twitter.com/nS8sY0Ykue</a></p></div>— Real Media (@RealMediaGB) <a href="https://twitter.com/RealMediaGB/status/1486776018744463365?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The activist whose charges were dropped on Wednesday had last year
allegedly sprayed blood-red paint into the entrance of the Defence and
Security Equipment International arms fair, or DSEI.
<p>“Once again, charges have been dropped,” Palestine Action <a href="https://www.palestineaction.org/dsei-dropped-charges/">said</a>
on Friday. “It is the war criminals inside the arms fair that should be
arrested and tried – not the brave individuals taking action to expose
them.”</p>
<p>Elbit had been one of the many arms firms exhibiting at the trade fair.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, at Elbit’s smashed Shenstone factory on Monday, one of the activists’ signs read: “One down, nine to go.”</p> <h3>
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