Activists storm Elbit site in latest Oldham protest

Protesters pictured at the Elbit Ferranti site

Activists have stormed and occupied the site of Elbit Ferranti in Oldham this morning (Monday), with the Palestine Action group insisting that protestors evaded a heavy security presence and rapid police response to successfully shut down the factory.

The activists have scaled the roof, chained the gates shut, and have covered the building in blood-red paint.

A Palestine Action spokesperson claims three arrests have been made at the scene.

A Palestine Action statement read: "In occupying the site and preventing operations, activists are disrupting the flow of arms and military technology to Israel, where these would be used to commit war crimes against the Palestinian people."

The site, at Cairo House on Greenacres Road, has been targeted again in the latest of a number of 'successful actions' taken by Palestine Action against Elbit Systems, their subsidiaries, landlords, and partners.

The group has taken action at seven sites in the UK in the past month alone - with most of these actions being multiple days-long occupations of factories.

A Palestine Action spokesperson has said: "This takeover of Elbit Ferranti is our latest action in a series of disruptions to Israel's arms trade.

"And we're only just getting started.

"Despite an increase in security, a rapid police response and specially designated patrols, activists are occupying Elbit's lethal arms factory in Oldham.

"Once again, we have brought Israel's arms production in the UK to a grinding halt."

Arms company Elbit bought the formerly British-owned Ferranti Technologies site for £15 million in 2007.

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