Pro-Palestine activists staged a direct action at a Glasgow-based facility early Friday morning, protesting alleged links to companies supplying the Israeli military, according to Scottish newspaper The National.
Members of Palestine Action reportedly raided the Righton Blackburns service centre, smashing windows and spraying red paint across the site.
Activists also painted slogans such as “Drop Thales and Leonardo” onto the building, highlighting firms said to manufacture drones, helicopter parts and targeting systems used by Israel during the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Palestine Action later confirmed via social media that Righton Blackburns had been deliberately targeted. The company, a distributor of metals and plastics, is accused of being part of the supply chain supplying Israeli-linked weapons manufacturers.
In a post shared on the platform X, the activist group stated their intention to “break every link in the genocidal supply chain.”
Speaking to The Scottish Sun, a spokesperson for the group said they were “ordinary local residents taking direct action against the bloody supply chain enabling Israel’s genocide of Palestinians” and urged others to join their movement, criticising governments for supplying arms amid what they described as crimes against humanity.
Righton Blackburns describes itself on its website as a leading supplier of aerospace and speciality alloys to markets across the UK and worldwide. Reports suggest the company ships quality metals and plastics from sites including Plymouth, Portsmouth, Bristol and Manchester.
British and Scottish activists claim Righton Blackburns supplies key materials to major defence contractors such as Leonardo, Thales and BAE Systems.
These firms have been repeatedly criticised for their involvement in producing weapons systems and components for the F-35 fighter jets, which are used by the Israeli military.
Britain’s participation in the F-35 programme, particularly the provision of parts, has faced increasing scrutiny amid fears the aircraft may be deployed in Gaza operations.
Despite widespread international condemnation of Israel’s two-month-long blockade on Gaza, which has worsened the humanitarian crisis and raised warnings of famine, the UK government last month reaffirmed its confidence in continuing to license the export of military components that could support Israeli F-35s.
Last year, the British government suspended around 30 arms export licences to Israel following concerns that British-made weapons could be used in ways that breach international humanitarian law.
However, in March, Middle East minister Hamish Falconer confirmed that an exception had been made for F-35 spare parts, citing “international peace and security” as justification.
The Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) reports that several British companies, including BAE Systems, are involved in supplying arms to Israel. BAE Systems alone is responsible for approximately 15 percent of the components for the F-35 jets manufactured in the UK, which are reportedly being used to deliver 2,000lb bombs on Gaza.
Other major arms firms such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon have also been accused of contributing to the weapons used by Israel in the ongoing conflict.
Since the escalation of Israel’s military actions in Gaza on 7 October 2023, Palestine Action has focused its efforts on disrupting weapons manufacturers and their suppliers operating across Britain.
Earlier this week, the group announced a significant success after Manchester-based metal components producer Dean Group International agreed to sever all ties with Elbit Systems’ UK branch, Instro Precision.