PALESTINE Action activists have occupied the London headquarters of Israel’s biggest arms firm.

The activists scaled the walls of the offices of manufacturer Elbit Systems at Kingsway in Holborn at 10am today, sprayed the building in blood-red paint — a symbol of Israel’s murderous onslaughts on the Palestinian people — and occupied the entrance to the building.

The building was sprayed with slogans such as: “Evict Elbit,” “shut Elbit down!” and “free Palestine!”

Supporters mounted a protest in the street outside, some playing drums.

The occupation marks the anniversary of Palestine Action’s launch of direct action against Elbit’s factories and offices last year.

Occupations have shut down factory production of for 105 days in the last 12 months.

Elbit Systems has five factories in Britain, two headquarters offices, and three military sites which are used to test-fly drones used by the Israeli military in its attacks on Gaza.

All five factories and the two offices have been targeted by Palestine Action.

The group said in a statement: “The action taken today, as with all actions by Palestine Action, has been taken in order to end the supply of UK-made arms, drones, munitions and military technology to Israel.

“This tech, manufactured at Elbit's sites across the UK, is sold to Israel for the express purpose of repressing, brutalising and killing Palestinian people. 

“After being ‘battle-tested’ — in Elbit’s words — on Palestinian civilians, it is then sold on the global market to some of the world’s most repressive regimes.”

Weekly protests are being mounted every Tuesday afternoon at Elbit’s factory at Oldham in Greater Manchester.