By Gizem Nisa Cebi
ISTANBUL (AA) - Activists from the group Palestine Action flew a drone carrying the Palestinian flag over Allianz Arena in Twickenham, UK on Sunday during England’s Six Nations rugby match against Italy, targeting German financial services firm Allianz, the stadium’s sponsor and insurer of Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest weapons manufacturer.
The incident occurred in the 67th minute of the match when the drone appeared over the stadium with a message directed at Allianz, which provides legally required employers’ liability insurance for Elbit’s operations in the UK.
"Without the insurance provided by Allianz, Elbit could not build Israeli weapons in Britain which are tested on Palestinians," a Palestine Action spokesperson said. "The military killer drones made by Elbit come to kill and maim Palestinians. However, our drone came with a simple message: Allianz must drop Elbit."
Elbit Systems supplies 85% of the country’s drone fleet as well as land-based equipment, missiles and digital warfare technology. According to Palestine Action, its quadcopter drones have been used in strikes against civilians in Gaza.
Speaking in parliament, Nazim Mamode, a retired surgeon from Brockenhurst, Hampshire who volunteered at a hospital in Gaza, described the impact of these drones.
"What I found particularly disturbing was that a bomb would drop, maybe on a crowded tented area, and then the drones would come down and pick off civilians, children," he said.
He recounted stories from injured children, saying: “I was lying on the ground after a bomb had dropped, and this quadcopter came down and hovered over me and shot me.”
Palestine Action has previously led direct action campaigns targeting Elbit’s UK factories and companies linked to the firm, leading to disruptions at Allianz offices across Britain and Europe.
Similar campaigns have pressured Barclays, lobbying firm APCO and global logistics provider Kuehne+Nagel to sever ties with Elbit.
The group said that Sunday’s protest was a continuation of its efforts to disrupt the supply chain of Israeli weapons and hold corporate enablers accountable.
Neither Allianz nor officials from Allianz Stadium have publicly commented on the incident.