A logistics company operating in Scotland has had its premises vandalised by activists who claim the firm has ties to Israeli defence technology.
DB Schenker, which is part of Danish transport giant DSV, was targeted after pro-Palestine campaigners alleged the company provides services to Elbit Systems, an Israeli defence technology firm. The vandalism has sparked fresh debate about direct action protests and their place in political campaigning.
Elbit Systems is one of Israel’s largest privately owned defence contractors, manufacturing drones, surveillance equipment and weapons systems. The company has faced sustained protests across the UK and Europe from activists opposed to Israeli military operations in Gaza, with campaigners arguing that companies doing business with Elbit are complicit in the conflict.
DB Schenker has a significant presence across Scotland, operating as one of the country’s key freight and logistics providers. The company handles supply chain and transport operations for a wide range of industries, making it a visible target for activists looking to apply economic pressure on businesses they believe are connected to the Israeli defence sector.
Protest groups have increasingly turned their attention to logistics and supply chain companies in recent months, arguing that disrupting the movement of goods and services is an effective way to put pressure on firms with defence connections. Similar actions have taken place at other DB Schenker and DSV sites across the UK.
Activists claim that by providing logistics support to Elbit Systems, DSV and its subsidiaries are playing a direct role in enabling Israeli military operations. They argue that freight companies cannot remain neutral when the goods and services they move are linked to weapons manufacturing.
The vandalism at the Scottish premises is part of a wider pattern of direct action that has seen Elbit-linked sites targeted repeatedly. Elbit’s UK factories have faced blockades, occupations and protests over the past two years, with activists in several cases facing arrest and prosecution. Some of those cases have resulted in acquittals, with juries accepting that protesters acted out of genuine belief they were preventing greater harm.
DSV completed its acquisition of DB Schenker in 2024 in a deal worth billions of euros, creating one of the world’s largest logistics companies. The merger brought DB Schenker’s extensive network under DSV’s control, significantly expanding the group’s reach across Europe and beyond.
So far there has been no public statement from DB Schenker or DSV directly addressing the vandalism at the Scottish site or the allegations about their relationship with Elbit Systems. It is not uncommon for large logistics firms to handle freight on behalf of a wide range of clients, and the exact nature of any commercial relationship between DSV and Elbit has not been independently verified.
Police Scotland have not yet confirmed whether any arrests have been made in connection with the incident, and an investigation into the vandalism is understood to be ongoing.
The action in Scotland reflects a broader shift in protest tactics from pro-Palestine campaign groups, who have moved beyond demonstrations and marches towards more targeted economic disruption. Supporters of the approach argue it creates real consequences for businesses profiting from the arms trade, while critics say it crosses a line and risks alienating public sympathy.
With the conflict in Gaza continuing and no sign of the protest movement losing momentum, logistics firms with any perceived links to Israeli defence contracts are likely to remain firmly in the crosshairs of direct action campaigners across Scotland and the rest of the UK.