"The Brooklyn Navy Yard will not renew the lease of a drone manufacturer that contracts with Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the Israeli military, and the Israeli weapons manufacturer Elbit Systems after more than a year of activists demanding eviction. The Navy Yard lists Easy Aerial as a " fine art and photography" business, but government records show the company has millions of dollars worth of US Air Force contracts, as well as a contract with CBP for drone operator training."
"Activists organizing under the banner of Demilitarize Brooklyn Navy Yard, who asked to remain anonymous, have been holding protests, leading email-writing and call-in campaigns, and speaking at board meetings for more than a year now. "Implementing a multiplicity of tactics including direct action, political education, worker outreach, and deep community organizing worked to materially impact the supply chains of imperialism, zionism and fascism," the group said in a statement on Instagram this weekend."
The Brooklyn Navy Yard board declined to renew Easy Aerial's lease after sustained activist pressure. Easy Aerial is listed as a " fine art and photography" business while holding multimillion-dollar US Air Force contracts and a CBP contract for drone operator training. A 2021 video shows Israeli soldiers using an Easy Aerial drone. Easy Aerial, like other Navy Yard tenants, is exempt from property tax and may be eligible for subsidies. The Navy Yard houses over 550 businesses, including artists and cultural organizations. Activists used protests, outreach campaigns, and board engagement for more than a year.
Read at Hyperallergic
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