CAAT is appalled at Police Scotland’s chilling abuse of counter terror legislation against Stop Leonardo after three people took action at Leonardo’s Edinburgh factory on 15th July.
This factory produces laser targeting systems for the F-35 combat aircraft that Israel is using to drop 2000lb bombs on children.
Our government is continuing to supply spare parts for F-35 jets, via the global stockpile, even after admitting there is a clear risk that Israel will use them to commit war crimes and that Israel is not committed to complying with international humanitarian law. Its own Export Control Joint Unit found that “it is uncontentious that conduct which could, in principle, satisfy the physical component of genocide continues to take place in Gaza”.
Despite this, the high court ruled that it would not comment on whether the government is breaching international law with this unprecedented exemption because the relevant international law is not enshrined in domestic law.
Our government and our courts are failing us – so ordinary people are doing what they feel is necessary to try to stop a genocide.
In refusing interim relief on proscription, the Court of Appeal stated that the government was only proscribing Palestine Action and that other groups taking part in direct action at arms companies would not be treated as terrorists.
But this was an action by a distinct and separate local campaign group. To treat it as terrorism is a direct contradiction of the Court of Appeal ruling. It is a chilling threat to our civil liberties and our right to protest against genocide profiteers.
So let’s be clear:
Direct action against arms companies is not terrorism!
Taking action against companies complicit in genocide is not terrorism!
Supporting liberation for Palestinian people is not terrorism!
There is a powerful history of direct action in the peace movement that directly targets the tools of war and disarmament actions are an important and celebrated part of that movement.
We cannot stay silent in the face of this repression. We stand in solidarity with Shut Down Leonardo and condemn Police Scotland for using terrorism powers on people taking direct action.
