Pro-Palestine activists affiliated with Palestine Action Canada have targeted an Ontario-based subsidiary of Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems, citing the company's role in supplying military equipment amid Israel's military offensives in Gaza and Lebanon.
In a statement sent to The New Arab on Tuesday, the group said it had targeted GeoSpectrum Technologies in Peterborough, Ontario, in the early hours of Monday.
Video footage provided to The New Arab showed activists taking responsibility for damage to the premises.
The footage appeared to show red paint sprayed across the building, writing on its exterior and damage to an outdoor communications box.
It also showed a masked individual apparently tampering with unidentified equipment, while another masked person threatened to smash a window with a hammer.
The activists defended the action, describing Elbit as "the largest profiteer of the genocide of Palestinians."
"Dozens of Canadian companies across the country have been found to supply essential parts and components used in the tanks, drones, and munitions deployed to murder the Palestinian people, with full support of the Canadian state," Palestine Action Canada said.
"GeoSpectrum Technologies, Elbit's Canadian subsidiary, manufactures maritime surveillance and exploration technologies, regularly conducting performance trials with the Royal Canadian Navy and the Department of National Defense," the group added.
Palestine Action Canada has called on the Canadian government to end all trade and ties with Elbit Systems, demanding a full arms embargo and sanctions against Israel.
Local police have confirmed that they are investigating the incident.
They said footage of the incident, which has also circulated on social media, forms part of the investigation.
Police have also classified the incident as a hate- or bias-related crime, adding: "Hate has no place in our community."
According to its website, GeoSpectrum Technologies develops and manufactures marine acoustic systems, including sonar, underwater communications technology, submarine targets and surveillance systems for defence and other applications.
Palestine Action Canada's ongoing Arms Embargo Now campaign has identified several Canadian companies it alleges are involved in supplying components to Israel's defence industry.
The campaign has listed GeoSpectrum Technologies' Peterborough premises among the sites it has identified in connection with Elbit Systems.
The group has previously cited the International Court of Justice's July 2024 advisory opinion that Israel's occupation of Palestinian territiores is unlawful and a subsequent paper by a UN commission in its calls for Canada to comply with international law.
It argues that ending relations with Israel would demonstrate that the Canadian government is not contributing to the continuation of Israel's decades-long occupation or the commission of war crimes and genocide.
The latest development follows discussions at Montreal City Council last month over a motion calling on the Canadian city to suspend all institutional ties with the Israeli government.
However, Montreal ultimately only passed a motion expressing solidarity with Palestinians, removing a clause that called for the severing of institutional and diplomatic ties with Israel.