Activists protesting against Israel picketed several entrances to a major factory operated by BAE Systems, one of the world’s largest defence contractors on Friday.
Dozens of protesters — with organisers from ‘Workers for a Free Palestine’ claiming “400+” — blocked entrances to a major defence factory in Rochester, Kent on Friday morning. Protesters chanted that Israel is a “terrorist state” and pleaded with employees of BAE Systems to go home rather than try to go to work.
A protester quoted by the Kent Messenger claimed: “This is our power as people. Your power is your voice and direct action like this when you physically stop deliveries getting in and out to an arms factory is what we can do. We are asking staff to leave and they are listening and they are going home.
“This is a day of work that this factory has lost.” The group claimed in all they had shut down the factory for seven hours, with no vehicle entering or leaving the site.
Police officers look on as demonstrators blockade the entrance to BAE Systems’ factory during a protest by ‘Workers for a Free Palestine’, calling for an end to arms sales to Israel, and supporting an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, near Rochester, south east England on November 10, 2023. (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS / AFP) (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty Images)
UNSPECIFIED, – NOVEMBER 10: A range of activists and trade unionists join a blockade of BAE Systems in Rochester called by Workers For A Free Palestine, both gates are blocked closing the site for the day on November 10, 2023 in Rochester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Guy Smallman/Getty Images)
UNSPECIFIED, – NOVEMBER 10: A worker tries and fails to drive through the blockade as range of activists and trade unionists join a blockade of BAE Systems in Rochester called by Workers For A Free Palestine, both gates are blocked closing the site for the day on November 10, 2023 in Rochester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Guy Smallman/Getty Images)
Banners held at the protest claimed “this factory arms genocide”, “weapons made here kill in Gaza”, called for arms exports to stop going to Israel, and claimed UK taxpayers have “blood on our hands”.
The Rochester, Kent factory is the former production base of Marconi Electronic Systems, which merged with British Aerospace in 1999 to form BAE. The site has a decades-long history of producing avionics — aviation electronics — and it is this work which the protesters on Friday professed to oppose.
BAE is one of the world’s largest arms companies and is a major contributor to the U.S. F-35 fighter. It is also the single largest supplier of arms to the British armed forces.
Responding to the protest, BAE denied directly exporting any arms to Israel. A spokesman said: “We’re horrified by the situation in Israel and Gaza and the devastating impact it’s having on civilians in the region and we hope it can be resolved as soon as possible… We respect everyone’s right to protest peacefully. We operate under the tightest regulation and comply fully with all applicable defence export controls, which are subject to ongoing assessment.”
Workers for a Free Palestine, said of their action: “Hundreds are blockading a BAE Systems factory in Rochester, England… BAE Systems produces the [targeting systems] of Israel’s F-35 fighter jets, currently being used by Israel to bombard Gaza.
“The targeting systems used by pilots is made by BAE Systems Rochester. Today we have shut it down!”.
UNSPECIFIED, – NOVEMBER 10: A worker tries and fails to drive through the blockade as a range of activists and trade unionists join a blockade of BAE Systems in Rochester called by Workers For A Free Palestine, both gates are blocked closing the site for the day on November 10, 2023 in Rochester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Guy Smallman/Getty Images)
Demonstrators hold a banner during a protest by ‘Workers for a Free Palestine’ calling for an end to arms sales to Israel, and supporting an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, outside BAE Systems’ factory near Rochester, south east England on November 10, 2023. (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS / AFP) (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty Images)