THREE British arms firms supplying Israel with weapons were blockaded today when activists, local community members and tenants’ union Acorn went into action in defence of Gaza.

Acorn is active in towns and cities across Britain fighting on issues such as tenants’ rights, public transport and the cost-of-profits crisis.

Activists targeted weapons manufacturers in Birmingham, Bristol and Leeds today.

In Birmingham, the entrances to aerospace and defence manufacturer Meggitt were blocked; in Bristol, protesters turned away workers at defence and security manufacturer Leonardo; and in Leeds, the offices of BAE System were blockaded.

All three firms manufacture or provide components and systems for military aircraft being used in the bombardment of Gaza.

Acorn chairwoman Chelsea Phillips said: “Acorn will not stand by while entire communities are obliterated while ordinary people just like us are murdered in their tens of thousands by the Israeli government with the support of our government and using horrific weapons of war built by British companies.

“The people running these companies are criminals, profiteers who grow rich from the death and misery of people who, but for an accident of birth could be our neighbours, our friends, our parents, our children.

“All ordinary people want and deserve the same things, no matter where we are in the world: safe, happy communities where we can live with dignity and with hope for the future. 

“These fundamental rights have been denied to the Palestinian people for too long.

“We believe that solidarity and the desire for justice are fundamental to being human. We stand with our brothers and sisters suffering in Gaza and beyond.

“We demand an immediate and lasting ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli military forces from Gaza and an end to the occupation of the Palestinian territories. 

“We call on our government to proactively work towards a ceasefire and that all arms sales from British companies to Israel are halted.”

More than 14,000 Palestinian people, up to half of them children, have been killed by Israeli forces since the war began.

Nearly two million people have been displaced and more than half of homes in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed, the group highlighted.

Acorn is the latest organisation to join the spreading wave of action against firms complicit in Israel’s systematic obliteration of Gaza.