Protesters storm weapons firm’s London offices for supplying arms to Israel

LONDON (AA) – Pro-Palestinian demonstrators on Thursday protested outside the London offices of a firm supplying weapons to Israel.

Leonardo, an Italian weapons firm with a presence in Britain, faced protesters from the group Palestine Action criticizing it for being a “supplier of weaponry for Israel’s fighter jets” and also chanting pro-Palestinian slogans, including “cease-fire now” and “no more dying.”

One of them climbed to the awning of the office building while others put up a banner saying: “Palestine will never die.”

The group also painted slogans in red paint on the offices, including “Free Palestine” and “Terrorists.”

Later, firefighters arrived at the scene and helped the protester to climb down. The protester was arrested by the officers.

“Leonardo supplies Israel with Apache Helicopters and parts for their F-35 fighter jets, used to bombard Gaza. Today, we’re shutting them down in London,” the group said on X.

On its website, Palestine Action describes itself as “the direct action network dismantling British complicity with Israeli apartheid.”

This week, the Israeli army has expanded its air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip, which has been under relentless airstrikes since October 7.

Over 9,061 Palestinians have been killed, most of them women and children.

Besides the large number of casualties and displacement, basic supplies are running low for the 2.3 million residents in Gaza due to the Israeli siege.