For the fourth time in a month, protesters from the Whistleblowers, Activists and Communities Alliance (WACA) have blocked a container truck route in and out of Webb Dock in Port Melbourne, Australia, as part of a call to end all trade with Israel.
Trucks carrying Zim, Maersk, MSC and Toll containers are log jammed along Lorimer Street, while rubble has been used to block the intersection of Lorimer and Salmon Street in Fisherman’s Bend, in front of the offices of Elbit Systems and EOS, which WACA claims are "weapons’ companies" that employ "war criminals" and therefore must be shut down.
"The rubble is symbolic of the destruction of houses, hospitals and schools in Gaza by Israel after two years of relentless bombing," the activist group claimed in a statement justifying its recent photo ops earlier this week.
The rubble is strewn with drone replicas, broken toys, shrouds, and what WACA said is blood. A protester has even “locked on” to an immobilised car that had been placed among the rubble, while banners with oft repeated chants such as, "End the genocide," have been attached to surrounding structures and vehicles.
WACA said its "people's embargo" is intended to, "halt the flow of trade that enables and supports the genocide being perpetrated by Israel in the occupied territories of Palestine."
The group said it vows to continue to, "blockade the flow of goods from Australia to Israel," and, "disrupt weapons companies and shipping companies that supply the tools of genocide."
WACA had earlier conducted a similar protest action by blocking truck traffic in and out of the Victoria International Container Terminal at Webb Dock.
In that earlier action, 18 WACA activists wearing red suits emblazoned with the words, "We are all Palestine action," strapped themselves to barrels in the driveways and onto the truck gates of the dock for photo ops, while vehicles operated by the group blocked the road in front of the gates.