UK
Caterpillar Head Quarters Occupied
John Hart
BIG Campaign
15 May 2002
Today pro-Palestinian activists occupied the Caterpillar HQ in
Desford, Leicestershire in protest at the bulldozer-building company
profiteering from the murderous Israeli activity in Palestine.
Activists leafleted the 1,500 workforce and occupied the offices
of the Managing Director. Leaflets were put on people's desks, on
noticeboards, in magazine racks and inside machinery. Activists
managed to gain access to all parts of the site, including the MD's
office, other offices, warehouses, factories and car-parks. A large
group of managers were confronted in their lunch-break in the staff
canteen. Some supportive workers took bundles of leaflets to hand
out to their colleagues.
The leaflets outlined what is going on in Palestine at the moment,
and Caterpillar's involvement in the massacres and demolitions.
The IDF use Caterpillar bulldozers to wreak enormous destruction
in the Occupied Territories - bulldozing the homes of Palestinian
people, creating roadblocks, and creating the mass graves so that
the Israeli forces can hide their war crimes. It urged workers to
look at independent websites and to "go slow" at work.
Two women managed to gain access to the Managing Director's office.
They have both been arrested on suspicion of "Burglary"
and were released after nearly 15 hours in custody, on police bail.
Whilst this action took place, reports were simultaneously coming
in saying that Caterpillar bulldozers were completely destroying
the refugee camp at Jenin, and were digging huge mass graves to
bury the bodies of the untold number of Palestinians who have been
murdered there.
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