First thing Monday 18 July, Shut Down Leonardo Edinburgh once again took action to shut down the Israel-supplying arms factory in Edinburgh. Once again, brave members of the public are risking arrest to stop the companies world leaders – including the UK and Scottish governments – are enabling to supply arms to Israel for its abhorrent genocide and war crimes in Palestine.
Shut Down Leonardo: activists target Israel arms supplier
After blocking the entrance of the factory with a specially adapted van, an activist locked-on inside:
Another locked-on to the top of the van:
They smashed glass jars filled with red and green paint around the factory entrances. This was to further impede access, and shut weapons production down:
BREAKING: Entrance to Leonardo Edinburgh factory is BLOCKADED by two action takers locked onto a van.
They’re halting the production of laser targeting systems for Israel’s F-35 fighter jets. pic.twitter.com/xNUCCk7bMt
— Shut Down Leonardo (@ShutLeonardo) August 18, 2025
Italian-owned Leonardo supplies parts for the F-35 jets and Apache helicopters Israel has used in its genocide in Gaza. At the Edinburgh factory, Leonardo produces guidance systems. The Israeli military has used these to guide the 2000 pound bombs and reduce Gaza to rubble.
World leaders ignoring Israel’s genocide, so activists keep stepping up
Despite making hundreds of millions in profits every year, and clear links to Israel’s ongoing genocide, the Scottish government has given Leonardo huge sums of tax-payers money in the form of subsidies.
The United Nations special rapporteur Francesca Albanese recently named Leonardo the “main military contributor” to the genocide.
This is the second action by Shut Down Leonardo Edinburgh. On 15 August, the group launched with an action at the factory. At least five van loads of riot police arrived at the plant. Counter-terrorism police arrested the activists, and held them under the Terrorism Act, before eventually releasing them on bail.
A spokesperson for Shut Down Leonardo said:
With most world leaders either ignoring Israel’s genocide in Gaza, or actively involved in it, we cannot look aside while our Palestinian brothers and sisters are being exterminated. By shutting down Leonardo, we hope to disrupt the supply chain to the deadly F-35 war planes.
Featured image and additional images supplied
