Main image: Police officers in Antwerp, Belgium on June 18, 2025 (Photo: Jonas Roosens / AFP)
More than 100 pro-Palestinian activists from the "Stop Arming Israel" movement caused over $1.1 million in damage to Ukrainian military equipment during a raid on a defense facility in Tournai, Belgium, this week. The incident highlights how misguided activism can unintentionally harm those not involved in the conflict the protesters aimed to target, reports Israel Hayom.
The activists broke into the OIP Land Systems hangar, vandalizing armored vehicles with hammers, spray-painting graffiti, and shattering windows. The damaged equipment was intended for Ukrainian forces fighting against Russian aggression, not for the Israeli military.
OIP Land Systems, part of OIP Sensor Systems and a subsidiary of the Israeli defense company Elbit Systems, has supplied hundreds of armored vehicles to Ukraine since the invasion by Russia began. Despite claims by the activists that they identified "10 Belgian companies with connections to Israeli armament," the company’s president, Freddy Versluys, clarified,
"We don't sell anything to Israel. The vandals entered the hangar and damaged extensive equipment. The only damage they caused is a one-month delay in delivering the vehicles to Ukraine."
The Tournai facility houses one of Europe’s largest private weapons stockpiles and has played a key role in supplying military equipment, including tanks and armored vehicles, to support Ukraine’s defense efforts.
This incident underscores the complex realities of global arms supply and the risks of actions based on misinformation, especially in times of ongoing international conflict.
