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Brisbane-headquartered defence parts supplier Ferra Holdings has again been picketed by around 100 protesters in a repeat show of pro-Palestine support.
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Protesters from action groups Shut Down Ferra, Justice for Palestine, and Wage Peace – Disrupt War attended the Tingalpa warehouse on 24 January to rally against collaboration with international defence companies involved with the Israeli-Hamas conflict.
“Public picket in support of Palestine, come stand in front of the war machine and disrupt business as usual,” the groups said in a pre-protest statement.
“Ferra Engineering is the sole supplier in manufacturing the mechanism that holds and releases bombs in Lockheed Martin’s F-35 jet fighters.
“Israel’s Defense Force reported using these jets to send 900 kilograms of joint attack munition bombs to Gaza, each one actuated by a Brisbane-made product.
“This company prides itself on its performance capabilities. We say this company manufacturers terror.”
Pro-Palestine protesters had previously stormed Ferra Holdings’ Brisbane office with “Stop arming Israel” and “Ferra spreads terror” banners on 8 January and occupied the floor of the Ferra Engineering factory.
The protesters allege weapons adaptors made in the factory for Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft are being used by Israel to hold and release bombs onto civilians in Gaza.
A Shut Down Ferra spokesperson said Ferra Engineering is the only company that manufactures a weapons adaptor that is used to hold and release the bombs from the F-35s.
“Innocent civilians, including children, are being killed in Gaza by weapons made here in our backyard,” they said.
The groups said they would remain defiant despite alleged “police repression” after a series of police search warrants and arrests conducted by the Queensland Police Counter-Terrorism Investigation Group following the initial protest.
"State and federal police raided the homes of pro-Palestinian activists this morning and arrested four people,” a Wage Peace – Disrupt War spokesperson said on 23 January.
“Tingalapa-based Ferra Engineering is an essential part of the supply chain for the used by the Israeli military.
“Ferra is a weapons maker in Brisbane exporting terror via its build of components for the Lockheed Martin F-35 jet bombers.
“Israel’s F-35s, bombing Gaza, each have a part from Ferra that racks and transfers bombs for killing.
“This is the Australian export business. Illegal, immoral, and operated by the Australian government.
“It’s a trade-off with the US. You make us weapons, they won’t bomb us, yet.”
Organisers also recommended advice to keep protesters phones clean of incriminating information that could be accessed by police.
They recommended leaving and deleting group chats, deleting and reinstalling Signal to clear chat histories, logging out of accounts, deleting images or messages that could incriminate the user or friends, using lockdown mode on Apple devices, using passcodes and withholding that code from police. The group also offers downloadable teaching resources for schools.
Previously, the group has attended a pro-Palestine rally at Thales Australia’s Bendigo facility in December to protest Bushmaster vehicles being sold to Indonesia.
They are also reportedly involved in the current pro-Palestine blockade of the Israeli container ship, ZIM Ganges, being loaded at the Webb Dock of Victoria International Terminal in Melbourne.
