By Sahar Foladi
Joining a global protest movement known as A15, Weapons out of NAARM (WOON) staged another protest in front of AW Bell company in Dandenong South.
In its third protest in less than a month now, on the morning of April 15 (A15 movement), police officers and protesters gathered in front of the manufacturing company on Abbotts Road.
The company is being targeted by pro-Palestinian protestors for producing parts for the Lockheed Martin F-35 joint fighter program. It produces the only approved casting supplier of the F-35 electronic warfare counter measurement.
The company has previously told Star Journal it does not sell any parts to Israel.
A 61-year-old local resident, Karen Styles, who said she has given 41 years of her life caring for the sick as a nurse was also at the protest.
“There’s an extra layer of pain as a nurse because I know it’s impossible to look after any of those trauma injuries without anaesthetics, without equipment, electricity, water to clean the wounds. This is layer, upon layer, upon layer, of every imaginable trauma they [Israel] can inflict.
“The people who have diabetes, any chronic illnesses, they don’t get any treatment, so these people are dying.
“It’s so wrong, so immoral.”
Ms Styles has protested outside of Narre Warren South MP Gary Maas’ office for 16 consecutive days, three hours daily and has also been to Canberra twice to protest.
As an ALP supporter for her whole life, Ms Styles said she had never looked outside ALP before but now that would change.
During the protest, passing cars and trucks sounded horns as police officers blocked off one lane of Abbotts Road.
At least a dozen police officers and a Highway Patrol police car were present.
