Around 100 people picketed Ferra Engineering on January 24 to protest the company's role in providing weapons for Israel's genocidal war on Gaza.
Two weeks ago, the launch of the “Shut down Ferra” campaign involved 30 activists storming the factory to turn off equipment.
Ferra is the only company in the world which makes essential components for the Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) Extended Range of bombs. It supplies Boeing and the Defence Material Organisation.
Amnesty International reported in December that JDAMs “were used by the Israeli military in two deadly, unlawful air strikes on the al-Najjar and Abu Mu’eileq family homes in Deir al-Balah in the occupied Gaza Strip”. There was no evidence of military targets at either location.
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Protesters chanted “Ferra spreads terror” and “No more war, no more terror, we won't stop 'til we shut down Ferra”.
One person told a packed Justice for Palestine forum that evening that the campaign aims to shut down Ferra “for real”.
Activists are inspired by Palestine Action in Britain which has used mass direction action tactics to force three Israeli Elbit Systems weapons factories to close.
The picket went ahead a day after “anti-terror” police raided the homes of several activists, arresting four. They were held in the watchhouse until a magistrate “peeled back” bail conditions to “not going 50 metres in the vicinity of” Ferra or Boeing locations.
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