April 15 marked yet another global day of solidarity with Palestine, in which activists across the globe in countries such as the United States, Australia, and the UK took action for Gaza. Activists were responding to a global call to strike for Gaza, which originated within Palestinian civil society.
In the United States, the global strike for Gaza also coincided with the day that taxes are due in the country (Tax Day). Activists used this as an opportunity to highlight how much of taxpayer money goes to the weapons industry.
In several cities, activists strategically targeted sectors of the war machine, including the offices of Lockheed Martin in Arlington, Virginia, the largest weapons manufacturer in the world. Activists who occupied the Arlington office highlighted that Lockheed Martin receives billions of dollars in taxpayer money each year, which is used to produce the arms that Israel uses to kill Palestinians.
??BREAKING??
Palestine solidarity activists SHUT DOWN war profiteers Lockheed Martin to say NO MORE TAX DOLLARS FOR GENOCIDE! Lockheed Martin receives $4.7 billion in tax dollars PER YEAR to make the F-16s and F-35s that bomb Palestinians. The people say NO MORE! pic.twitter.com/CeVik3pFTK— Claudia Jones School for Political Education (@ClaudiaJonesEdu) April 15, 2024
While activists occupied the building, protesters outside marched up to the office doors, staging a rally and shouting at employees inside the building to quit their jobs.
“QUIT YOUR JOB! QUIT YOUR JOB!”
Protesters outside Lockheed Martin with message to employees. #FreePalestine #StopArmingIsrael pic.twitter.com/xbXZeuX1Nh
— #StopCopCity (@ChuckModi1) April 15, 2024
For Tax Day, protesters march in Arlington, VA against defense contractors that receive billions in U.S. tax dollars for war.
Activists marched on Lockheed Martin, the weapons manufacturer that made the F-35 stealth fighter used by Israel to bomb the Iranian embassy in Damascus. pic.twitter.com/GWYebadIkQ
— BreakThrough News (@BTnewsroom) April 15, 2024
Activists also blockaded the entrance to a facility belonging to Boeing, another massive weapons manufacturer that supplies Israel, in St. Charles, Missouri.
BREAKING: Organizers from St. Louis + Chicago in coordination with @a15action have blockaded the Boeing facility in St. Charles, MO.
This facility produces missiles and bombs sent directly to Israel at the hands of the US government❌ pic.twitter.com/ehuqFD9Uha
— Dissenters ? (@wearedissenters) April 15, 2024
A facility of weapons manufacturer Pratt and Whitney was also targeted in Connecticut, where organizers blocked the entrance to the factory to impede production.
Activists shut down Pratt and Whitney's facility in CT for an A15 action in response to the manufacturer supplying Israel w/ military aircrafts for the illegal occupation beginning in 1947, & they’re currently sustaining the Israeli Air Force's fleet of F100-PW-229 engines. ??? pic.twitter.com/J5fKDlTZ3i
— Connecticut DSA ?? (@ConnecticutDSA) April 15, 2024
BREAKING: Organizers from CT + NY have blocked all entrances to the @prattandwhitney facility in Middletown, CT.
Protesters are acting in solidarity with A15 actions across the country to #ShutItDown4Palestine ??‼️ pic.twitter.com/wHbPuQrL4C
— Dissenters ? (@wearedissenters) April 15, 2024
On the same day, several activists blockaded the road going to the Chicago O’Hare International Airport, blocking Terminals 1 through 3. Over 40 protesters were arrested after taking this action, who have as of now all been released.
BREAKING: Organizers are blockading the road entering O’Hare Airport in Chicago‼️‼️
NO business as usual while the US green lights the genocide of Palestinians❌ pic.twitter.com/IdScPLaNdp
— Dissenters ? (@wearedissenters) April 15, 2024
Several bridge blockades took place in the Bay Area. Protesters first stopped traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge, holding banners that read “Stop the world for Gaza” and “End the siege on Gaza now!”
BREAKING: Protestors have shut down the Golden Gate Bridge this morning. Folks in Marin County advised to go the long way…Richmond-San Rafael Bridge down to the Bay Bridge. pic.twitter.com/pukbwMMp8a
— Drew Tuma (@DrewTumaABC7) April 15, 2024
Protesters later took further action and shut down the Interstate 880 in Oakland. Altogether, the California Highway Patrol announced the arrests of 38 people.
In London, activists with Palestine Action targeted the office of BNY Mellon, demanding that the bank divest with Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest weapons company. BNY Mellon offices in Manchester were also targeted.
BREAKING: Palestine Action target BNY Mellon’s London office during the global economic blockade for a Free Palestine.
The bank must divest from Israel’s largest weapons manufacturer, Elbit Systems#ShutElbitDown #A15 pic.twitter.com/HjCicn0id3
— Palestine Action (@Pal_action) April 15, 2024
BREAKING: Once again, offices of major Elbit investors BNY Mellon disrupted in Manchester this morning as part of the @a15 global day of action. We will not rest while genocide profiteers walk free in our cities! All colonisers must fall!
Shut Elbit Down! @_YFFP_ @GMF_Palestine pic.twitter.com/7usrFXQ5Zn— MANPalestine Action (@ManPalestine) April 15, 2024
In Adelaide, Australia, pro-Palestine activists occupied the office of Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong’s office. Activists said this action had been undertaken to “protest the government’s ongoing complicity in, and facilitation of, the genocide occurring in Gaza—a genocide which has been enabled by international forces, like Australia, to continue for over six months.”
I was incredibly proud to be part of international movement A15.
We occupied and protested outside of Australian foreign minister Penny Wong’s office in the Adelaide CBD. #A15ForPalestine #A15 pic.twitter.com/sxBXEXq0zo
— Habibah J (@habibahjaghoori) April 16, 2024
In Melbourne, hundreds gathered in front of the parliament building, demanding that the Australian government stop cutting deals with Elbit systems.
Hundreds gather at parliament in Naarm/Melbourne demanding an end to links with Israeli company Elbit. #A15 ✊???✊? pic.twitter.com/KAc3lot8Yb
— Solidarity (@soli_aus) April 14, 2024