On Saturday afternoon, two protestors (as of this writing) have chained themselves to the door of the Chase Bank on Boston’s Harvard Square. There has not yet been any official law enforcement response.
Breaking: Two activists have locked themselves to one of the entrances of Chase Bank in Harvard Square. Dozens of other activists have linked arms outside the bank as well.
Activists are upset that Chase Bank is a subsidiary of J.P. Morgan, which allegedly has links to Elbit… pic.twitter.com/ELlU1SGtkW
— Stu (@thestustustudio) July 13, 2024
Activists are upset that Chase Bank is a subsidiary of J.P. Morgan, which allegedly has links to Elbit Systems.
The two protesters appear to have locked themselves to a fixed barricade at the bank’s entrance.
“Locked themselves” is the best way I can describe whatever nonsense this is. pic.twitter.com/nFwu3KbElX
— Stu (@thestustustudio) July 13, 2024
The activists in question appear to be protesting Chase Bank’s affiliation with J.P. Morgan, which is reputed to have links to Elbit Systems, a company that (among other things) develops defense systems and does business with Israel.
This is not the first time protestors have targeted this branch.
Boston activists shut down the Chase Bank branch, an Elbit shareholder, in commemoration of the over 30,000 Palestinians who were murdered by Israel in Gaza. pic.twitter.com/ozcPlqyyPK
— Daniella Modos – Cutter -SEN (@DmodosCutter) March 11, 2024
Get Elbit out of Cambridge!
Join BDS Boston to canvas against Elbit Systems and shareholder Chase Bank!
Harvard Square, Cambridge
(by Cambridge Visitor Information Booth)Sunday 1/28, 1-3pm pic.twitter.com/TmR7nM3xCO
— BDS Boston (@BDSBoston) January 24, 2024
Elbit Systems, an Israeli-based company, has developed the “Iron Sting” precision munition, as well as other weapons systems used by Israel and other nations.
See Related: WATCH: Israel Releases Footage of First Use of ‘Iron Sting’ Precision Munition
Apology Not Accepted – Within Hours of Being Blasted Online, France Overturns Israeli Ban at Defense Show
Elbit has itself been targeted directly in similar protests.
Three protesters on Thursday chained themselves to the door of an office for defense contractor Elbit Systems (NASDAQ:ESLT) in Cambridge, Mass., NBC Boston reported. They were among about 50 other protestors who said they were against the company’s involvement in Israel’s military.
Demonstrators held signs calling for Elbit (ESLT) to be shut down and accusing it of profiting “from genocide.” One sign showed a Palestinian flag.
The protest coincides with competing pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian demonstrations since last weekend when Hamas attacked Israel, which responded with a bombing campaign in the Gaza Strip. Israel’s military on Friday warned that residents of northern Gaza should relocate to the southern half of the territory within 24 hours, a possible sign of a pending ground invasion.
Elbit Systems (ESLT) is based in Haifa, Israel, and is the country’s biggest defense contractor. Company revenue last year was about $5.5 billion.
The protestors in some of these events have held signs denouncing Israel openly, including such things as accusing Israel of “genocide,” which Israel is not engaging in, in Gaza or anywhere else.
