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Palestine Action Damage Military Planes To Intervene In Genocide

Palestine Action have damaged two military planes at RAF Brize Norton, where flights leave daily for RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, a base used for military operations in Gaza and across the Middle East. Two activists broke into the largest air force base in Britain and used electric scooters to swiftly manoeuvre towards the planes. They used repurposed fire extinguishers to spray red paint into the turbine engines of two Airbus Voyagers and caused further damage using crowbars. Red paint, symbolising Palestinian bloodshed was also sprayed across the runway and a Palestine flag was left on the scene. Both activists managed to evade security and arrest.

By putting the planes out of service, activists have interrupted Britain’s direct participation in the commission of genocide and war crimes across the Middle East. From Akrotiri, the RAF have flown hundreds of surveillance missions in support of Israel’s genocide in Gaza [1], and the base is also used for UK and US military cargo transports to the Israeli military [2]. In a speech to troops at Akrotiri in December 2024, Keir Starmer hailed the troops’ efforts while stating that “Quite a bit of what goes on here can’t necessarily be talked about […] we can’t necessarily tell the world what you’re doing” [3]. By this point, Israel had massacred tens of thousands in Gaza, the Akrotiri base had been used to collected up-to 1,000 hours of reconnaissance footage over the Strip in assistance of Israel [4].

The targeted planes are Airbus Voyagers, which can carry military cargo and are used to refuel Israeli/US/UK military aircrafts and fighter jets. Previously, such Voyagers were used to refuel RAF Typhoon aircraft and US military planes for bombing runs against Yemen [5], where combined US-UK-Israeli airstrikes have killed hundreds of Yemenis [6][7]. Recently, British Airbus Voyagers have been seen flying over Jordan, Iraq and towards Syria, where they stop to refuel Israeli or US fighter jets for 4-5 hours and then return to Akrotiri.

From the military base, Airbus Atlas flights also travel to RAF Akrotiri. Atlas flights can carry soldiers, guns, ammunition, bombs and munitions. During the escalating genocide in Gaza, the British military have flown Atlas flights from Akrotiri to Tel Aviv, carrying soldiers and/or military cargo [8].

RAF Brize Norton, where the aircrafts are now grounded, has also played host to numerous Israel Air Force transport flights within recent months [9].

A Palestine Action spokesperson has stated:

“Despite publicly condemning the Israeli government, Britain continues to send military cargo, fly spy planes over Gaza and refuel US/Israeli fighter jets. Britain isn’t just complicit, it’s an active participant in the Gaza genocide and war crimes across the Middle East.

By decommissioning two military planes, Palestine Action have directly intervened to break the chains of oppression.”

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