Pro-Palestine activists in Scotland began the first hours of 2026 with a targeted act of vandalism against a defense-linked manufacturing facility, breaking into Bruntons Aero Products in Musselburgh, near Edinburgh, and causing significant damage to critical industrial equipment.

The group, identified as Palestine Action, forced entry into the factory shortly after midnight on January 1. According to video footage later released by the activists themselves, four masked individuals methodically destroyed CNC machines, servers, and computers over an 85-second span. The operation appeared coordinated and deliberate, with no resistance encountered during the break-in.

Graffiti left behind at the site included the message, “There’s only one way this ends,” underscoring the group’s confrontational rhetoric. Palestine Action claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that Bruntons was targeted due to its role as a supplier to Leonardo, a major defense contractor that manufactures laser targeting systems for F-35 fighter jets. Those systems are used by multiple allied militaries, including Israel’s.

The incident highlights a growing trend of radical activism shifting from protest to direct industrial sabotage. Rather than demonstrating publicly, the group chose to damage private infrastructure, disrupting lawful business operations and potentially endangering jobs and supply chains tied to international defense programs.

Bruntons Aero Products is a long-established engineering firm whose components support aerospace and defense manufacturing. The destruction of high-value machinery and digital systems is expected to result in substantial financial losses and operational delays.

The attack comes amid heightened tensions surrounding Israel’s military operations and increasing efforts by extremist activist networks to pressure companies through intimidation and vandalism rather than democratic or legal means. Critics argue that such actions do little to advance peace and instead normalize political violence under the guise of activism.

Authorities have not yet announced arrests, but the clear video evidence and the group’s public admission are expected to factor heavily into ongoing investigations. The vandalism serves as an early signal that 2026 may see continued escalation from activist groups willing to cross the line from protest into criminal sabotage.