This article is proudly co-published by The Hoser and The Grind.
On Monday, dozens of pro-Palestinian demonstrators blocked the entrances to a Scarborough-based manufacturing plant that they say provides equipment to Israel’s military, while demanding a total arms embargo on Israel from the Canadian government.
“We want an arms embargo, and we want a permanent ceasefire,” said Aminah Sheikh, an organizer with Labour for Palestine and a Scarborough resident. More than 100 peaceful demonstrators blocked morning-shift workers from entering the TTM Technologies plant early Monday morning.
“We want an end to the Nakba, which means ‘catastrophe,’ an end to the ongoing displacement, an end to the siege, and an end to Israeli apartheid.”
Organizers said they were responding to a call from Palestinian workers and trade unions asking to block the flow of weapons to Israel. “We’re responding as workers, as people in solidarity with Palestine, as Palestinians who are part of this community. But also as people with a conscience, who refuse to witness a genocide and do nothing,” said Rachel Small, an organizer with World BEYOND War Canada, which is part of a global movement that seeks to “abolish the institution of war,” according to their website
According to a press release by World Beyond War, TTM Technologies produces printed circuit boards that are exported to Israeli defense contractor Elbit Systems and are “slated for use in F-15 and F-16 fighter jets, and other military equipment.”
A 2020-2021 report from Canada’s Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs shows that TTM Technology’s subsidiary Viasystems Toronto applied for several licenses to export bare printed circuit boards to Elbit Systems Ltd. and its intermediary Artem Technologies, Ltd., also in Israel, in 2018. The requests say the circuit boards will be installed in their Smart Tactical Advanced Rockets (STAR), in radio communication systems used by ground forces, in F-15 and F-16 aircrafts, and in the Power Distribution unit in the “Lizard” guided kit.
TTM’s 2024 Investor Presentation also shows 45 per cent of the company’s net sales in 2023 were for Aerospace & Defense, including increased Use of AESA Radar & Increased Military Equipment Builds. It also names their top customers: Raytheon, Lockheed Martin & Sikorsky, Northrop Grumman, L3Harris, Boeing — some of the world’s biggest weapons manufacturers.
Organizers said most workers were successfully blocked from entering the plant, at least one truck was blocked from leaving the facility, and two delivery trucks were blocked from entering it. They estimate nearly 200 demonstrators were on site at the height of the rally.
The company did not reply to The Hoser’s and The Grind’s request for comment.
Emergency call
The event comes on the heels of an emergency call by UN experts to stop arms exports to Israel “immediately.” On Feb. 23, a UN press release said “any transfer of weapons or ammunition to Israel that would be used in Gaza is likely to violate international humanitarian law and must cease immediately,” singling out the US, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada as some of the main exporters.
“States must accordingly refrain from transferring any weapon or ammunition – or parts for them – if it is expected, given the facts or past patterns of behaviour, that they would be used to violate international law,” UN experts are quoted as saying.
That call follows the January ruling by the International Court of Justice, which found that there is a “plausible” risk Israel is conducting a genocide in Gaza. Under the Genocide Convention of 1948, states are required to take all necessary steps to prevent a genocide from happening, including stopping arms exports.
Despite government denials, a recent investigation by The Maple revealed that Canada “authorized at least $28.5 million in new permits for military exports to Israel during the first two months of the state’s brutal war on Gaza.” That exceeds “the 30-year annual record high of $26 million in Canadian military exports to Israel in 2021.”
Small called it “despicable” that the government is trying to “confuse the Canadian public about whether there even is a Canada-Israel arms trade, at the same time as they’ve been approving a record-breaking number of permits.”
She said protesters will not let up until Global Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly exercises her “power to [implement] an arms embargo today,” which would effectively suspend all existing permits that have been approved.
“We’re calling them out on these lies, and we’re not fooled by them,” she said.
Global Affairs Canada acknowledged The Hoser and The Grind’s media inquiry, but was not able to provide immediate answers by the time of publication.
Workers are not the enemy
Demonstrators rallied from around 6:30 a.m. to about 11 a.m., blocking almost every worker and car from accessing the plant’s various entrances and northern and southern parking lots.
While the demonstration was peaceful and ended with no incidents, a few words were exchanged between a small group of workers who managed to enter the plant through an unguarded entrance.
“It’s closed for today. Why don’t you just go home?” a demonstrator said as he approached TTM Technology workers.
“Why don’t you get off private property? How’s that?” a TMM Technology worker fired back
“I hope you get arrested,” she added.
“TTM is building circuit boards —” another demonstrator said before being cut off by the same worker, saying “I don’t want to hear your noise.”
“They’re making circuit boards for Elbit System,” the demonstrator continued, speaking calmly. “Which is actually participating in the genocide in Gaza. Thirty-thousand people have been murdered and killed. So, we invite you not to go to work today and to not be complicit in the genocide of the Palestinian people. This is a real time and opportunity for you to make a real choice of conscience.”
Apart from that interaction, organizers said most of the workers were supportive of the demonstration. Sheikh, who was also the worker-liaison, said she had been holding conversations with many workers who supported the cause. Similarly, Small said over the last few months, many workers of arms manufacturers have expressed that they “would rather be making circuit boards for products that are beneficial to society.”
“Their preference is not to be making circuit boards for smart bombs that are killing Palestinians,” she said. “Workers are welcome and are already part of our movement, and we welcome them to join with us and to organize with others to demand that their company no longer export weapons to Israel.”
Excessive police presence
While the rally ended peacefully and with no incidents or arrests, Toronto Police Services made their presence heavily felt, with at least 14 cruisers on scene, as well as the Courts Services van used to transfer arrestees.
At certain points, police could be seen speaking with individuals who looked like they worked for the company’s management.
Just before 8:30 a.m., police began approaching demonstrators who were blocking the doorway entrances to the plant to tell them they’d have to move off of the private property and onto the sidewalk or risk being arrested.
Demonstrators obliged, chanting “TPS-KKK-IDF-YOU’RE ALL THE SAME!” as they moved onto the sidewalk to continue their demonstration as the cops looked on.
Similar demonstrations took place at facilities in Peterborough and in Calgary, and more actions are expected across the country.
“I heard in India, workers are saying no to unloading and loading military equipment, and I think that similarly we’re going to see that happen here,” said Sheikh. “So I think it will escalate in a way where workers will start saying no to participating in moving military equipment for Israel.”
Small agreed, saying they are officially putting all weapons manufacturers in Canada “on notice.”
“We’re starting right here in Scarborough at TTM Technologies,” she said. “But [companies that arm] Israel across the country better look out, because there are thousands of people across the country coming to your doors this week.”
