Latest news with #Pro-Palestine
Daily Mirror
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Pro-Palestine activist group to be banned after breaking into major RAF base
Pro-Palestine group Palestine Action will be proscribed in the coming weeks after activists broke into a major RAF base, the Home Secretary has said.
Middle East Eye
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Pro-Palestine activists on electric scooters damage RAF planes and evade capture at UK airbase
Pro-Palestine activists have damaged two Royal Air Force (RAF) planes after breaking into the largest airbase in Britain early on Friday morning on electric scooters. Footage shared by Palestine Action (PA) shows two protesters riding scooters towards the RAF planes on the runway at the Brize Norton airbase, where they used "repurposed fire extinguishers to spray red paint into the turbine engines" and "caused further damage using crowbars". The activists then evaded security and escaped. The group announced on its website on Friday that the airbase was targeted because flights leave daily from there "for RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, a base used for military operations in Gaza and across the Middle East". "Red paint, symbolising Palestinian bloodshed, was also sprayed across the runway and a Palestine flag was left on the scene," Palestine Action said.
Middle East Eye
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Pro-Palestine activists on electric scooters damage RAF planes and evade capture at UK air base
Pro-Palestine activists have damaged two Royal Air Force planes after breaking into the largest air base in Britain early Friday morning on electric scooters. Footage shared by Palestine Action (PA) shows two protestors riding scooters towards the RAF planes on the runway at the Brize Norton air base, where they used "repurposed fire extinguishers to spray red paint into the turbine engines" and "caused further damage using crowbars". The activists then evaded security and escaped the base. The group announced on its website on Friday that the base was targeted because flights leave daily from there "for RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, a base used for military operations in Gaza and across the Middle East". "Red paint, symbolising Palestinian bloodshed, was also sprayed across the runway and a Palestine flag was left on the scene," Palestine Action said. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Brize Norton serves as the UK's hub for strategic air transport and refuelling. The planes the activists damaged were Airbus Voyagers, which carry military cargo and refuel fighter jets and military aircraft. 'Intervened to break chains of oppression' A Palestine Action spokesperson said: "Despite publicly condemning the Israeli government, Britain continues to send military cargo, fly spy planes over Gaza and refuel US/Israeli fighter jets. "Britain isn't just complicit, it's an active participant in the Gaza genocide and war crimes across the Middle East." The spokesperson added: "By decommissioning two military planes, Palestine Action have directly intervened to break the chains of oppression." A spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said: "Our armed forces represent the very best of Britain. They put their lives on the line for us, and their display of duty, dedication and selfless personal sacrifice are an inspiration to us all. "It is our responsibility to support those who defend us." UK blocks Labour MP from asking about Israeli bombers using British airbase Read More » The British base on Cyprus, RAF Akrotiri, is just a 40-minute flight from Tel Aviv. From there, RAF Shadow aircraft have conducted hundreds of surveillance flights over Gaza throughout Israel's war on the Palestinian enclave. In response to questions about these flights, the MoD has repeatedly insisted they are in support of "hostage rescue". Earlier this year, Luke Pollard, minister for the armed forces, said during a debate that Britain "shares an important, long-standing and broad strategic partnership with the state of Israel". He said that surveillance flights over Gaza are "solely in support of hostage rescue" and that information is passed on "only if we are satisfied that it will be used in accordance with international humanitarian law". The MoD also said last year that it "would consider any formal request from the International Criminal Court to provide information relating to investigations into war crimes". However, there is significant secrecy surrounding much of what the RAF Akrotiri air base is used for. Last month, MEE reported that the UK government blocked Labour MP Kim Johnson from asking about Israeli bombers using the Cyprus air base. Palestine Action have carried out a series of high-profile actions during Israel's war on Gaza. PA activists were arrested on terror charges after an action in August when activists drove a modified van into the research and development hub of UK-based Israeli arms company, Elbit Systems, in Filton, Bristol. They are currently being held in remand. PA has targeted Elbit Systems sites across the country - including factories in Leicester, Oldham and Shenstone. In April, Manchester-based Dean Group, a metals manufacturing company, announced it would no longer be working with Elbit Systems after it was targeted by PA activists. This latest action - targeting RAF planes in a British airbase - is unprecedented.
Daily Record
16 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Record
Pro-Palestine activists break into RAF base and damage military aircraft
Palestine Action activists broke into the RAF Brize Norton base and damaged two military aircrafts, according to the group. Pro-Palestine activists infiltrated an RAF air base and inflicted damage on two military aircraft, according to reports from the group. The activists allege planes depart daily from Brize Norton to Cyprus, which is "used for military operations in Gaza and across the Middle East". The campaigners, utilising electric scooters, approached the aircraft and with "repurposed fire extinguishers sprayed red paint into the turbine engines of two Airbus Voyagers". They also claim to have used crowbars to cause further damage, reports the Mirror. The selection of red paint was intentional to represent "Palestinian bloodshed", which they not only sprayed on the aircraft but also across the runway. Palestine Action, a collective condemning the UK's involvement in what it views as Israel's targeting of Gaza civilians, argues their daring protest "interrupted Britain's direct participation in the commission of genocide and war crimes across the Middle East". The RAF operates flights from the Oxfordshire facility to Akotiri in Cyprus, where UK troops are stationed. A Palestine Action spokesperson condemned British actions saying: "Despite publicly condemning the Israeli government, Britain continues to send military cargo, fly spy planes over Gaza and refuel US/Israeli fighter jets. Britain isn't just complicit, it's an active participant in the Gaza genocide and war crimes across the Middle East. "By decommissioning two military planes, Palestine Action have directly intervened in the genocide and prevented crimes against the Palestinian people." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community!
Daily Mirror
17 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Two UK military planes damaged as activists break into base ahead of flights
Pro-Palestine activists have broken into an RAF air base and damaged two of the air force's military aircrafts, the group said. , , , , or visit homepage.
