Pro-Palestine activists have vandalised a building in Glasgow which houses financial services company Allianz, in protest against the company’s alleged links to Israel. The office on Waterloo Street had its windows smashed and walls sprayed with red paint, with ‘Allianz Drop Elbit’ scrawled across. Palestine Action claimed responsibility for the attack on social media, stating they targeted Allianz buildings across the UK and ‘occupied’ the company’s headquarters in Guildford, south London.
The vandalism took place on the first anniversary of the Gaza war, sparked by a Hamas-led attack on Israel. Apart from Glasgow, activists also targeted buildings in Manchester, Lancaster, Belfast, London, Birmingham, Bristol, and Milton Keynes. This comes after British bank Barclays was also attacked by pro-Palestine protesters recently, with red paint splattered on the building in Princes Street, Edinburgh.
Palestine Action criticised Allianz for its financial ties to Israeli defence firm Elbit Systems, which is accused of providing equipment used by the Israeli Defence Force. The activists highlighted that Allianz owns shares in Elbit Systems and provides insurance services for the company. Elbit is known for supplying drones, some of which have been used in attacks on Palestinians, contributing to what Palestine Action deems as Israeli war crimes.
Allianz and Police Scotland have been approached for comment regarding the incident. This act of vandalism is part of a broader campaign by pro-Palestine activists targeting institutions with alleged links to Israeli companies amidst ongoing tensions in the region. The protesters aim to raise awareness about companies supporting what they see as human rights violations in Palestine.
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