Above photo: Twitter @Pal_ActionUS.
Cambridge, MA — On October 30, nine activists were violently arrested and assaulted by the Cambridge Police Department during a Palestine Action US rally at the Cambridge office of Elbit Systems, Israel’s biggest genocide profiteer. All 9 plead NOT GUILTY to all charges. Truth be told, Elbit Systems is guilty, the US-Israeli war machine is guilty, and the CPD is guilty. We affirm our right to take action against Elbit and all weapons companies, and we will not let police intimidation deter us.
The CPD immediately fabricated lies, reprinted by the mainstream media, to construct their case to criminalize us for protesting against genocide, claiming we attacked and “assaulted” them because some activists went onto a public sidewalk and moved metal barricades that were obstructing our access to public space. As video evidence shows, dozens of cops charged into the crowd, violently tackling and pepper spraying protestors, injuring several of our comrades. The cops claim we “knocked them into the ground” when they tripped over their own feet during this onslaught.
The US-Israeli war machine is clearly terrified of our community’s power to shut Elbit down. Before the cops violently surged on us, 200+ community members peacefully halted the entire intersection at Bishop Allen Drive and Prospect Street, stopping one of Central Square’s busiest thoroughfares; employees of all businesses at the building were asked to stay home, effectively shutting the Elbit location down for the entire day.
Community pressure is building, public opinion is shifting, Elbit stocks are tanking, and billions of people around the world are taking direct action to stand with Palestine. We call on people everywhere to join our call-in campaign to Elbit’s landlord, Intercontinental Real Estate (1270 Soldiers Field Rd, Brighton, MA), and co-tenants to put maximum pressure on them to #EvictElbit (phone call script here). We won’t stop coming back to Elbit until these war criminals are evicted.
Listen to the calls from Palestine for us in the US to target the imperialist supply chain and to shut down weapons companies and arms shipments going to mass murder Palestinians. Elbit Systems operates not only in Massachusetts, but also in New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Texas, Florida, Alabama, and South Carolina. Get organized wherever you are. We will shut Elbit down.