Activists vandalize London APCO building over company's ties to Israel
Pro-Palestinians vandalize building in central London amid arms deal tensions between the UK and Israel.
Members of the pro-Palestinian group Palestine Action vandalized the APCO building in Central London earlier this month in protest of the company's ties with Israeli defense company Elbit Systems, according to a video Palestine Action posted to Instagram.
The video showed the APCO London office stained with bright red paint amid UK-Israeli weapons sale tensions. Three protestors blocked the office, locking the front door with a bike lock, barring employees from entering, and creating a human barrier.
Lobbyists for Israel’s biggest weapons firm got the Palestine Action treatment pic.twitter.com/kLzSQgZADJ
— Palestine Action (@Pal_action) September 3, 2024
The video depicted the demonstrators who wore keffiyehs while chanting popular slogans such as “free Palestine.”
Additionally, protesters chanted, “APCO drop Elbit.”
This slogan also appeared on their stencils and banners, as shown in photos they posted on their website.
APCO, the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials, is an international company that provides professional development and consultant lobbying to businesses in a number of countries, including Israel.
APCO has a branch in Tel Aviv
According to the APCO website, the company has a branch in Tel Aviv. According to the Palestine Action, Elbit Systems (an Israeli weapons manufacturing company) uses APCO as a lobbyist for their business.
The protest follows the UK’s decision to halt 30 arms export licenses to Israel, and, following the demonstration, protestors seen in the video were reportedly detained.
Neither APCO nor Elbit have released comments as of yet.
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