CATERPILLAR HQ OCCUPIED IN UK AS ISRAELI BULLDOZERS TRY TO HIDE WAR CRIMES
11th April 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.