As the U.S.-funded genocide in Gaza continues to escalate, the worldwide Palestinian solidarity movement is also expanding and intensifying. In the U.S. people are now targeting not only complicit politicians, but the weapons manufactures and financial firms profiting from the four-month long Israeli genocide inside Gaza.
Increasingly outraged by their tax dollars being used to fund Israel’s ethnic cleansing, organizers are now engaged in acts of civil disobedience blocking the entrances and shutting down corporations and institutions profiting from nearly every war crime imaginable for the world to see.
On January 30th organizers from across PA, including volunteers from the Chester County Liberation Center, carried out such an action shutting down Vanguard’s headquarters in Chester County.
Criminals in Chester County
Vanguard is a major U.S.-based investment firm overseeing more than eight trillion dollars in assets. Vanguard is among the top five shareholders of the top five weapons manufacturers in the country, holding over five billion dollars in General Dynamics and Northrop Gruman and over ten billion in Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Raytheon (RTX). These are the same companies arming the Israeli war machine. On top of this Vanguard is the top investor in fossil fuels.
We were outraged when we learned that Vanguard, which is directly investing in the genocide of the Palestinians, was located right here in Chester County. We cannot allow a company that profits off genocide to think it can buy privacy after purchasing 90 acres of land to house its global headquarters. That is why it is so important we sent a message that you cannot hide from or silence this movement. If you support genocide, we will be there to oppose you.
Our Action and Our Commitment
We arrived at the front gate of Vanguard’s campus at around 8:00 AM when commuters were beginning to arrive. We blocked the entrance and immediately security showed up and the police followed shortly after. We unfurled our banners, demanding an end to all U.S. aid for Israel and began to chant. We had a portable sound system and people took turns giving speeches, inspiring us to stand our ground as more police arrived.
Organizers successfully exposed the blood on Vanguard’s hands to thousands of daily computers passing by on the 202, and interfered with busy as usual, all without any arrests. The power of the people’s movement is clearly growing. Until there is a permanent ceasefire and the end of Israel’s occupation of Palestine, there will be no busy-as-usual.