Palestine Action covers County Hall in red paint and graffiti again

The Somerset Council’s headquarters was recently targeted for the third time by Palestine Action protestors who are asking the local authority to evict Elbit from their Aztec West 600 site.

Red paint and ‘Evict Elbit’ writings were daubed on the building’s Block A between yesterday evening (Wednesday, April 17) and early this morning (Thursday, April 18).

An Avon and Somerset Police spokesperson said: "We received a report this morning (Thursday 18 April) after paint was sprayed on the walls of County Hall in Taunton.

"Enquiries into the incident are ongoing and officers have attended the scene to gather evidence.

"This is the third incident of this nature to take place in the past month and we are keeping an open mind as to whether the incidents are connected.

"Following the second incident, on Thursday 4 April, four people were arrested and they remain on conditional bail.

"We continue to work closely with the council to gather evidence and information following the offences, as well as how to prevent further incidents.

"If you were in the area near the County Hall anytime between 7.30pm yesterday (Wednesday 17 April) and 6am today (18 Apr) and you saw anything suspicious, please call 101 and quote reference 5224098605."

Graffiti and red paint first appeared on the building in March, when activists sprayed red paint, bloody handprints, and painted messages that read 'Elbit out' and 'Evict Elbit'.

The County Hall building was then targeted for the second time earlier this month.

A photo from the incident that took place earlier this month (Image: Palestine Action)

After the incidents, Somerset Council said clean-up operations were going to be paid by taxpayers.

The first attack alone, which took place in March, cost Somerset’s taxpayers £7,600.

A Palestine Action spokesperson said: "Many of the residents who’ve campaigned against the Somerset Council’s lease with Elbit Systems are tax-paying residents themselves.

"The value of paint on a building is incomparable to the Palestinians' lives taken by Elbit’s weaponry."

The spokesperson also added that "the responsibility is upon the council to take immediate steps to evict Elbit, rather than make the whole county complicit in the Gaza genocide".

A Somerset Council spokesperson said: "We are very disappointed at this further criminal damage of public property which will inevitably result in additional cost to the public purse.

“We believe this incident relates to a legacy commercial investment. We have done what we can to engage protestors over their concerns and this investment property is in our commercial disposals programme, though as with every lease, there are contractual obligations regarding the lease.

“Today’s events [April 18] again demonstrate the protestors’ preference to cause damage rather than engage in meaningful conversation.

"While we respect the right of individuals and groups to protest, we strongly condemn this style of protest damaging a Grade II listed public building."

Palestine Action daubed the graffiti urging the council to evict the current tenant of the Aztec West 600 offices Elbit System, an Israeli-based defence contractor.

After the second incident, a council spokesperson said: “A further attack and criminal damage has been made against public property this morning which will inevitably result in additional costs at the public expense.

"We believe this incident relates to a legacy commercial investment which we have already agreed to dispose of.

“We have sought to engage protestors over their concerns but today’s events show their preference to cause damage rather than engage in meaningful conversation.

“While we respect the right of individuals and groups to protest, we strongly condemn this style of protest damaging a Grade II listed public building.”

Earlier this week, (Monday, April 15) the Property and Investments Executive Sub-Committee meeting was disrupted by a member of the Palestine Action group.