On Tuesday August 30th, protesters on stolen Musqueam land in “Delta, British Columbia, Canada” blocked the road at the Maersk and ASCO Aerospace Canada shipping warehouse headquarters. Maersk is the world’s largest integrated logistics and shipping company. Since October, the Danish shipping and logistics giant has contributed over $300 million worth of weapons components, sourced from from various parts of the world, including Canada, to be engineered into deadly weapons by U.S arms manufacturers. As a leader in the logistics industry, Maersk plays crucial role in the weapons supply chain.
With 68% of Israeli weapons sourced from the U.S, Maersk is a key player in the global arms supply chain that supports the Israeli occupation forces’ ongoing genocidal bombardment of Gaza, its occupation of the West Bank, and its imperial crimes across the region. Maersk ranks amount the world’s most profitable companies, with wealth tainted by the blood of over 186,000 Palestinian martyrs. ASCO Aerospace Canada facilities produces components for F-35 stealth fighters, and bulkheads, employing about 100 workers in Delta.
Protesters held the road for 2 hours, delivering speeches regarding these companies role in Israel’s genocide against the Palestinian people, chanting, and playing Palestinian music as trucks to and from the warehouses backed up on the road. The protestors communicated to the drivers in English, Punjabi and Hindi, handing out flyers to the drivers to explain the purpose of the protest. Many trucks turned back as a result. The resulting back up caused to Maersk’s shipping schedule in the port resulted in up to $500,000 in lost revenue to Maersk alone, with even the most conservative estimates far above $100,000 in direct losses from this action.
Delta police showed up in numbers, at least one wearing a “thin blue line” patch (infamously used to denote “police solidarity” against the people and often linked to racism and organized far-right movements), many of them covering their ID badges, and all immediately trying to intimidate protesters. As the cops brought in ever increasing numbers and vehicles, they began threatening arrest and displaying signs of aggression. At this juncture, protesters made the decision to leave the first action site. As they tried to walk down the road the police blocked their way and issued further threats to the crowd. They escalated their aggression by physically grabbing one BIPOC protester, ripping the tent they were carrying off their shoulder to confiscate it, and making further threats of arrest while again blocking the ability of the protesters to leave the site.
After demanding the cops to make way, the action then moved on to the Maersk office, where protesters picketed outside the entrance again giving speeches, chanting, holding banners and signs, and engaging workers in conversation about the Canadian arms trade that is facilitating the genocide in Palestine and Maersk’s role in it. Messages were chalked outside the offices. Shamefully, security on site warned workers leaving the facility not to speak to the protesters. Other protesters stood at the side of the highway with Palestinian flags and signs which provoked unending support from the truckers driving by all day, who honked, flashed peace signs, and cheered with the protestors. While this was happening, Delta police used taxpayer dollars to fly a drone overhead and monitor the action closely with several officers. Protesters left on a high after the afternoon shift change, having spent a beautiful day in community fighting to end the genocide of the Palestinian people.
This action demonstrates that workers and activists alike have the appetite to strike right to the heart of the military industrial complex here in “Vancouver.” We know there are many such facilities in the greater “Vancouver” area. We will not stop, we will not rest, until these war criminals know that we will fight them — every day until the genocide ends and beyond, until all of Palestine and Turtle Island are free.
