Key Points
- People Against Genocide launched a national series of actions targeting 11 HSBC branches across Britain on 13 December 2025.
- Activists smashed windows and doused buildings in red paint at HSBC locations, including Brighton and Wokingham.
- The group accuses HSBC of investing in Elbit Systems, an Israeli arms manufacturer linked to weapons used in Gaza.
- HSBC had divested from Elbit in 2018 but has since reacquired shares, according to the protesters.
- Police are investigating reports of criminal damage at affected branches.
Brighton (Birmingham Express) 14 December 2025 – Members of People Against Genocide carried out coordinated attacks on HSBC bank branches across Britain, smashing windows and spraying red paint in protest against the bank’s investments in an Israeli arms firm.
The actions took place in the early hours of Saturday 13 December, targeting 11 locations including the HSBC branch in North Street, Brighton, and another in Wokingham. Protesters used hammers to shatter glass fronts and left graffiti demanding the bank “DROP ELBIT”. According to reporting by Brighton and Hove News, the group described the operations as the launch of a clandestine network against HSBC’s alleged funding of genocide.
What prompted the attacks on HSBC branches?
People Against Genocide stated that HSBC invests in Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest weapons producer, despite divesting from the firm in 2018. The group claims HSBC has since amassed millions in Elbit shares, linking the bank’s actions to the deaths of Palestinian civilians through Elbit’s “battle-tested” drones and munitions. “Banks such as HSBC invest in the production of weapons used to commit genocide as they prioritise their profits over the lives of the Palestinian people,” the protesters said in a statement reported by Wokingham Today.
As reported by Brighton and Hove News of Brighton and Hove News, the activists aimed to make such investments unprofitable through direct action. Sussex Police confirmed they are investigating criminal damage to the North Street branch, while similar inquiries are underway elsewhere.
How did authorities and the public respond?
Police forces in affected areas launched investigations into the vandalism, treating the incidents as criminal damage. In Wokingham, graffiti reading “DROP ELBIT” appeared alongside broken windows, with the group claiming responsibility in a public statement. Previous demonstrations by pro-Palestinian activists had called on HSBC to sever ties with Elbit, but this marked an escalation to overnight operations.
What is Elbit Systems’ role in the protests?
Elbit Systems markets its products as field-tested in conflicts, with protesters citing UN links to genocide and specific targeting of children in Gaza. People Against Genocide demanded HSBC remove all Elbit shares from its portfolio, arguing it is both ethical and financially strategic. The bank’s stated mission of driving progress was contrasted with its investments by the activists.
What are the potential consequences of these actions?
The coordinated attacks signal a shift toward more aggressive tactics by campaigners pressuring financial institutions over Israel-related investments. HSBC has not publicly responded to the specific incidents in available reports, but prior divestment pledges highlight ongoing tensions.
Police continue to probe the damages, with People Against Genocide vowing to make genocide funding costly for banks like HSBC.
