PALESTINE rights campaigners shut down the headquarters of Elbit Systems today as part of ongoing action to prevent Israeli arms firms from operating in Britain.

Dozens of activists from Palestine Action and Rise Up for Palestine gathered outside the company’s building entrance in Bristol, with four protesters locked onto each other to block access.

Elbit Systems supplies 85 per cent of Israel’s drone and land equipment and its Bristol HQ, which is leased from Somerset Council, is the company’s main operational facility in Britain.

A Palestine Action spokesperson said: “Disrupting Israel’s military supply chain through direct action and community mobilisation is a crucial and necessary tactic to deploy as our Palestinian siblings are under fire by Elbit’s weaponry.

“We do not stand for genocide enablers on our doorstep, and we’ve once again made it clear that Elbit is not welcome in Bristol or anywhere on British soil.

“We will continue to rise up and take the power back into our own hands to shut down the companies arming Israel’s genocide of Palestine.”