In the UK, protesters blockaded the BAE Systems facility

5 January, 2024 Protesters outside the BAE plant. Photo credits: thedefensepost.com Protesters blockaded a BAE Systems production facility in Wales on Wednesday over its ties to the Israel Defense Forces.

The Defense Post reported on this. According to local media outlets, a group of over 60 activists from the Cymru Peace Coalition blockaded the road to the plant and entered its territory. They held banners saying "Stop Arming Genocide" and "UK Weapons Kill."

A coalition spokesperson claimed that the UK is an active collaborator in alleged war crimes being committed against Palestinians, as it continues to allow billions of pounds in arms trade with the IDF.

Workpiece of 155mm projectiles at the BAE Systems plant in Washington. Photo by BAE Systems

"We are horrified that the UK is allowing arms manufacturers to operate out of this country despite weeks of demonstrations from the people of this country demanding an end to the UK support of Israel," he said. Before blockading the BAE Systems facility, the group traveled to an Elbit Systems factory in Bristol to carry out the same campaign.

"It is our duty to shut them down. We do not want these death factories in our neighborhoods, our cities, or our country. Our government might be complicit in genocide, but we are not," another protester stated.

BAE Systems facility in Wales is one of the main production sites for ammunition, especially 155 mm, acute deficiency of which is observed in the world.

L21A2 155mm rounds for the L131 self-propelled gun. Photo credits: MOD UK

In September, Militarnyi reported that the United Kingdom was increasing ammunition orders. The value of an additional order is estimated at GBP130 million that will expand the production line in England and Wales.

In addition, the production expansion is linked to the donation of artillery shells to Ukraine.

Prior to the outbreak of Ukraine's full-scale war with Russia, the British Army's stockpile of artillery shells was too small to be regularly transferred to Ukraine.

The new expansion will provide both the opportunity to build up its own reserve and to continue transferring shells to Ukrainian Armed Forces that actively use 155mm artillery.