Thirty-three demonstrators were arrested in Niles on Wednesday following a large pro-Palestinian protest outside Woodward Inc.'s facility, a suburb of Chicago. The activists were there to confront the military subcontractor about their role in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. According to a report by the Chicago Sun-Times, the protestors accused Woodward of manufacturing parts for Boeing that purportedly ended up in bombs used in Gaza.
The morning's demonstration saw over 100 participants, asserting Woodward's complicity in wartime casualties. With the belief that the plant's products have contributed to the devastation in Gaza, where thousands have reportedly lost their lives, activists hoped to pressure the company to sever its ties with Boeing. Niles Police Department told the Sun-Times that some protestors connected themselves using PVC pipes, chicken wire, and duct tape, then purposefully blocked roadways, disrupting Croname Road and Howard Street.
NBC Chicago interviewed protesters who shared their determination to see an end to Woodward's military contracts. "When we found this out, we got together and organized this action," activist Jinan Chehade told NBC Chicago. The group's goal was to halt production at Woodward even if just for a day, aiming to send a clear message against ongoing military support for Israel.
The protests, marked by accusations and high emotion, go back to a disputed photo from Gaza revealing a missile fragment allegedly branded with Woodward's logo. While the authenticity of the photo remains unverified, it stands as a catalyst for the protesters' outrage. After hours of blockading the area, police arrested 33 individuals for unlawful assembly, claiming that participants created hazards. The harsh police response was criticized by activists, with Rifqa Falaneh remarking to NBC Chicago, "They’ve come with bulletproof vests and also dogs, so we don’t know why we’ve been met with all this violence." Woodward, thus far, has remained silent in response to the incident and did not reply to media requests for comment on the recent protest.
The Niles demonstration underscores the complexity of the global arms trade and its implications. Activists, impassioned and resolute, continue to seek changes that would disentangle local businesses from international conflicts — conflicts that claim lives far from the quiet streets of suburban Chicago.
