Two insurance companies have warned anti-Israel Palestine Action that they may take legal action against it after their offices and facilities were repeatedly vandalized over their alleged financial dealings with Israeli companies.
German insurance company Allianz said it was “exploring all options to protect [its] people, business, and property.”
“These options might include direct legal action,” it added.
Palestine Action seemed unfazed by an Insurance Times report that the company had issued a second official warning, responding on Instagram last Monday that “direct action” was greater than legal action, and if Allianz wanted to avoid being targeted, it should not work with the Israeli defense firm Elbit Systems.
“If [threat of legal action] didn’t work the first time, it won’t work the second,” said Palestine Action.
The group announced on Friday that it had splashed the windows of an Allianz office in Glasgow with red paint, bragging that they had targeted the company dozens of times since October.
Last Monday, the group claimed to have spray-painted the company’s Manchester office, and on March 10, vandals allegedly climbed the facade of the London offices and colored the building red.
In the latter incident, they hung Palestinian flags and a banner that read, “Drop Elbit.” The day before, Palestine Action claimed to have flown a drone dragging a Palestinian flag over the London Allianz Stadium Twickenham, where a rugby match was being played between England and Italy.
Targeting Aviva
On March 11, Palestine Action targeted British insurance company Aviva for allegedly providing services to Elbit, saying that it was “raising the cost of working with Elbit” for insurance firms.
Activists climbed up onto an overhang, again placing flags and painting windows. Aviva issued its own warning to Palestine Action, saying, “Our first priority is to ensure the safety of our people.”
“We will not tolerate any criminal behavior towards our people or property and we will take appropriate legal action,” an Aviva spokesperson said.
“This has not impacted our service to customers.”
At the end of February, Palestine Action posted a video on Instagram in which vandals sprayed Aviva’s Motherwell office with red paint.