Zeeland company exposed as a weapons manufacturer that makes parts for bombs being used to murder Palestinians

Yesterday, about 75 people make the trek from Grand Rapids to Zeeland, Michigan, to confront and expose a weapons manufacturer that is profiting off the murder of Palestinians. 

The group Palestine Solidarity Grand Rapids organized the action, which took place on the anniversary of the Hamas act of resistance to the Israeli occupation and Israeli Apartheid. 

People arrived at the site of the company known as Woodward, around 1pm. Activists then lined up along the sidewalk that was directly across from the factory where Woodward makes parts used for weapons systems being used by the Israeli military against Palestinians living in Gaza.

This is not the first time that Woodward has been exposed for their role in profiting off of the Israeli genocide. Last November, students protested at a Woodward facility out west.  A few months later, in February of this year, activists shut down Woodward MPC manufacturing facility in Niles, Illinois, as reported by Mondoweiss.  The Mondoweiss piece also included important details about the role of Woodward, stating: 

Woodward is responsible for creating the parts of war equipment and bombs used to drop on Gaza. On its website, Woodward says it provides “control and actuation solutions on air superiority and air defense missiles, direct attack missiles, guided bombs and rockets, anti-ship missiles, guided artillery and mortar rounds, hypervelocity vehicles, training and target missiles, and launch boosters.” 

The Palestine Solidarity Grand Rapids organized action lasted  just shy of 2 hours.   The action included chanting, signs, banners, and numerous Palestinian flags. At one point there were also several speakers that spoke passionately about what Israel has been doing to Palestinians since 1948, the ongoing occupation, and the current genocidal campaign.

I attended the action as the designated police liaison. During the action I only saw one police car from the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Department, which just drove by the action. There were security people from the company on the side of the road where the protesters were standing, wanting to make sure that people did not step on their property. In fact, they were so insistent on people not stepping on their grass that their security people stayed outside for most of the protest to monitor those protesting. In addition, there were numerous other employees or security staff, from this same company who came out at various times during the protest, often filming those protesting.

There were also two counter-protesters that showed up shortly after the PSGR action began, one with an Israeli flag and the other holding a sign – Bring them home now, referring the Israeli hostages. These two counter-protesters stood at the opposite end of the intersection, choosing not to engage the PSGR action.

Towards the end of the Palestine Solidarity Grand Rapids action, several people laid down on the ground and covered themselves with white sheets, in order to represent the countless number of Palestinians who have been murdered by the Israeli military over the last year. 

At this point I don’t know if there will be more actions or an organized campaign to confront the Woodward company on their profiting from the murder of Palestinians. If and when there are future actions, GRIID will try to report on them and any potential campaigns.