
Reckless pro-Palestine protesters break into warehouse and damage nearly £1m of military equipment destined for UKRAINE
A SWARM of pro-Palestinian protesters caused nearly £1million worth of damage to military equipment which had been earmarked for Ukraine.
Some 150 dim-witted activists wielding hammers and spray paint went on a warehouse rampage - reportedly causing severe damage to several tanks.
4
CEO of OIP Land Systems Freddy Versluys said the vandals caused severe damage to the tanks at his warehouse (pictured)
Credit: Reuters
4
Pro-Palestine protesters smashed up computers and damaged the facility (stock)
Credit: Reuters
4
The firm has provided around 260 armoured vehicles to Ukraine since Putin's invasion
Credit: Getty
They raided hangars and smashed up computers at the facility in Belgium owned by OIP Land Systems - who produce military equipment for Ukraine.
But the idiotic protesters, dressed in white overalls and masks, wrongly believed that the equipment was being shipped to Israel,
Taking part in the Stop Arming
Israel
campaign, they first broke into and ransacked the warehouse's offices in Tournai.
The dopey demonstrators then headed for the storage units before vandalising the facility and the critical equipment inside it.
READ MORE WORLD NEWS
They brought along disc cutters and hammers during the frenzy on Monday which "severely damaged some vehicles", the firm's CEO Freddy Verslyus said.
He branded the group of vandals "Hamas sympathisers".
The
next
shipment of military aid which - was reserved specifically to help Volodymyr Zelensky fend off Russia's meatgrinder invasion - has now been delayed.
OIP Land Systems specialises in the maintenance, repair, and modernisation of
Most read in The US Sun
Since the Vladimir Putin's bloody invasion, the company has already delivered around 260
Versluys said: "The
next
delivery is now delayed by at least a month.
Vladimir Putin rages 'all of Ukraine is ours' as he threatens to seize key city while Kyiv slams tyrant as 'deranged'
"That's all these Hamas sympathisers will have achieved with their actions."
The fuming CEO also announced his intention to file a complaint against unknown parties following the huge £1million damage bill.
The military company was reportedly targeted by the protesters because it is owned by Israeli defence company Elbit Systems.
The activists reportedly believe that Elbit supplies 85 per cent of the Israel Defence Force's drones, and most of their ground military equipment.
But the raging protesters were left mortified after the firm's CEO claimed that his company had not produced defence systems for Israel in over 20 years.
At least 30 people were arrested following the embarrassing raid, Stop Arming Israel said.
Tournai police arrived to the scene supported by Borinage cops who also came with riot control vehicles.
A helicopter was also scrambled during the mindless rampage.
Some activists fled to neighbouring villages in order to escape, before being chased down by cops.
OIP Land Systems has provided defence products to
Ukraine
on several occasions.
The military equipment provided includes
It comes after two
The men were seen breaking into
The UK's defence ministry slammed the "vandalism of
4
Leopard 1 tanks are seen in the hangar in Tournais, Belgium
Credit: Reuters
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


RTÉ News
30 minutes ago
- RTÉ News
Qatar urges Israel, Hamas to seize truce 'opportunity'
Gaza mediators are engaging with Israel and Hamas to build on momentum from this week's ceasefire with Iran and work towards a truce in the Palestinian territory, Qatar foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said. Israel and Iran on Tuesday agreed to a ceasefire brokered by the United States and Qatar just hours after the Islamic republic launched a salvo of missiles towards the wealthy Gulf state, targeting the American military base hosted there. The unprecedented attack on Qatari soil followed Washington's intervention into a days-long war between Israel and Iran which saw US warplanes strike Iranian nuclear facilities, prompting promises of retaliation from Tehran. In an interview with AFP yesterday, Mr Ansari said Doha - with fellow Gaza mediators in Washington and Cairo - was now "trying to use the momentum that was created by the ceasefire between Iran and Israel to restart the talks over Gaza". "If we don't utilise this window of opportunity and this momentum, it's an opportunity lost amongst many in the near past. We don't want to see that again," the spokesman, who is also an adviser to Qatar's prime minister, said. US President Donald Trump voiced optimism about a new ceasefire in Gaza saying an agreement involving Israel and Hamas could come as early as next week. Mediators have been engaged in months of back-and-forth negotiations with the warring parties aimed at ending 20 months of war in Gaza, with Mr Ansari explaining there were no current talks between the sides but that Qatar was "heavily involved in talking to every side separately". 'The right pressure' A two-month truce, which was agreed as Mr Trump came into office in January, collapsed in March with Israel intensifying military operations in Gaza afterwards. "We have seen US pressure and what it can accomplish," Mr Ansari said referring to the January truce which saw dozens of hostages held by Hamas released in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. The Qatari official said particularly in the context of US enforcement of the Israel-Iran truce, it was "not a far-fetched idea" that pressure from Washington would achieve a fresh truce in Gaza. "We are working with them very, very closely to make sure that the right pressure is applied from the international community as a whole, especially from the US, to see both parties at the negotiating table," Mr Ansari said. There were no casualties on Monday when Iran targeted Al Udeid, the Middle East's biggest US base and headquarters of its regional command. Mr Ansari said that as leaders were weighing their response to the attack, a call came from the US president to Qatar's emir, saying "there is a possibility for regional stability... and that Israel has agreed to a ceasefire". "Qatar could have taken the decision to escalate," Mr Ansari said. "But because there was a chance for peace... we opted for that," he said.


Irish Daily Mirror
32 minutes ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Everything you need to know about Kneecap's eagerly awaited Glasto performance
One of the most contentious topics at this year's Glastonbury Festival is the scheduled performance of Irish language rap group Kneecap. The issue has become a major talking point among festival-goers. Despite facing pressure from British politicians and others, the festival organisers have chosen not to cancel the Irish band's appearance. This comes after allegations that the band displayed a flag in support of the proscribed terrorist organisation Hezbollah and chanted "up Hamas, up Hezbollah" during a gig in London last November. One of the band members, Liam Og O hAnnaidh, is currently out on bail and set to reappear in court in August, following a court appearance earlier this month. He denies the charges, and the band has apologised to the families of murdered MPs, claiming that footage of the incident was "exploited and weaponised". Kneecap is set to perform at Glastonbury on Saturday at 4pm, and an enormous crowd is expected to attend. The controversy has only added to the band's popularity, particularly among the festival's left-wing, anti-establishment, and pro-Palestinian attendees. As a group known for their strong political voice, the band from west Belfast and Derry are likely to use their platform to express their views on Saturday afternoon at Worthy Farm. Worthy Farm is gearing up for an emotionally charged performance this weekend, with band lyrics and social media posts centring around the harrowing issue of child starvation in Gaza, reports Somerset Live. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and opposition leader, Tory MP Kemi Badenoch have piped up this week, insisting that the BBC should give the concert a miss on the telly. But the group's run-in with the law and Mo Chara's recent court appearance has only boosted their fame, sparking loads of support all over social media. Support is expected to be massive for the Pro Palestinian crew at Glastonbury, known for their unique Irish rapped tunes in a Northern Irish twang. Hailing from west Belfast where pride in nationalism is painted on the walls, they're belting out messages for a united Ireland and stand against any sort of heavy-handed policing or government control. You'll spot Palestine flags fluttering nearly everywhere you look in areas like Divis Flats and Falls Road, showing local solidarity from the heart of west Belfast. The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week However, there's been a bit of a stir in Somerset as some high-profile locals have been bending the ear of Glastonbury Festival bosses, trying to get the band's slot pulled – but so far, the festival has not budged and hasn't given in to the noise. The scene was buzzing outside Westminster Magistrates' Court when O hAnnaidh appeared with his mates Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh, decked out in "Free Mo Chara" gear, to a hero's welcome. When he reappears in court in August, an even larger crowd is expected to rally in support, with numerous pro-Palestinian social media groups encouraging people to show their solidarity. Their Glastonbury gig is set to be a full house, with youngsters already planning to arrive hours ahead of their 4pm kick-off. Their distinctive Irish rapping on political issues, particularly Free Palestine, is sure to echo across the Glastonbury hills, much to the delight of the audience.


Irish Examiner
43 minutes ago
- Irish Examiner
At least 34 killed in Israeli strikes in Gaza as ceasefire prospects inch closer
At least 34 people were killed across Gaza by Israeli strikes, health staff say, as Palestinians face a growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and ceasefire prospects inch closer. The strikes began late on Friday and continued into Saturday morning, among others killing 12 people at the Palestine Stadium in Gaza City, which was sheltering displaced people, and eight more living in apartments, according to staff at Shifa hospital where the bodies were brought. Six others were killed in southern Gaza when a strike hit their tent in Muwasi, according to the hospital. The strikes come as US President Donald Trump said there could be a ceasefire agreement within the next week. Taking questions from reporters in the Oval Office on Friday, the president said: 'We're working on Gaza and trying to get it taken care of.' A man carries the wrapped body of a child who was killed along with others in an Israeli strike that targeted a school in northern Gaza, at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City (Jehad Alshrafi/AP) An official with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press that Israel's minister for strategic affairs, Ron Dermer, will arrive in Washington next week for talks on Gaza's ceasefire, Iran and other subjects. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media. Talks have been on and since Israel broke the latest ceasefire in March, continuing its military campaign in Gaza and furthering the dire humanitarian crisis. Some 50 hostages remain in Gaza, fewer than half of them believed to be still alive. They were among some 250 hostages taken when Hamas attacked Israel on October 7 2023, sparking the 21-month-long war. The war has killed more than 56,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. It says more than half of the dead were women and children. There is hope among hostage families that Mr Trump's involvement in securing the recent ceasefire between Israel and Iran might exert more pressure for a deal in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is riding a wave of public support for the Iran war and its achievements, and he could feel he has more space to move toward ending the war in Gaza, something his far-right governing partners oppose. Hamas has repeatedly said it is prepared to free all the hostages in exchange for an end to the war in Gaza. Mr Netanyahu says he will end the war only once Hamas is disarmed and exiled, something the group has rejected. Palestinians carry humanitarian aid packages near the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation distribution centre in Khan Younis, southern Gaza (Abdel Kareem Hana/AP) Meanwhile, hungry Palestinians are enduring a catastrophic situation in Gaza. After blocking all food for more than two months, Israel has allowed only a trickle of supplies into the territory since mid-May. Efforts by the United Nations to distribute the food have been plagued by armed gangs looting trucks and by crowds of desperate people offloading supplies from convoys. Palestinians have also been shot and wounded while on their way to get food at newly formed aid sites, run by the American and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, according to Gaza's health officials and witnesses. Palestinian witnesses say Israeli troops have opened fire at crowds on the roads heading toward the sites. Israel's military said it was investigating incidents in which civilians had been harmed while approaching the sites.