Pro-Palestinian activists launched a substantial protest at RAF Brize Norton, the UK’s largest air base, early on Friday. Members of Palestine Action, a group focused on disrupting the operations of weapon manufacturers that supply the Israeli government, shared a video of the incident on their X account. The footage depicted two activists riding electric scooters on the tarmac, where they sprayed red paint into the turbine engines of two Airbus Voyager aircraft. These planes were reportedly chosen for their alleged involvement in transporting military supplies and refuelling operations for Israeli, American, and British military aircraft.
A spokesman for Palestine Action claimed that their actions were a necessary intervention against perceived complicity in what they termed “genocide and war crimes” in Gaza and the broader Middle East. They asserted that by damaging the aircraft, they had effectively curtailed these atrocities against the Palestinian people. However, a source from the Ministry of Defence contested this narrative, stating that RAF Voyagers do not support Israeli military operations.
The event has raised significant concerns about security measures at the airbase, especially considering the activists’ ability to breach the facility without detection. RAF Brize Norton is home to around 5,800 service personnel alongside civilian staff and contractors, making the breach particularly alarming for military authorities.
The Ministry of Defence has condemned the incident as “vandalism of Royal Air Force assets” and stated that it is collaborating with police to investigate the security lapse. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also condemned the act, calling it “disgraceful” and labelling it as vandalism.
This incident not only highlights the ongoing tensions surrounding the Israel-Palestine conflict but also raises critical questions about the security protocols in place at key military installations in the UK.