Bray Air Display drops US sponsor over Israel support in Gaza war
Bray People
Bray Air Display has dropped US defence and aerospace manufacturer Lockheed Martin as a sponsor for this year's event over the company's supply of arms support to Israel in the Gaza war.
Lockheed Martin is a major supplier of military hardware to Israel and its facilities have been subjected to protests in both the UK and US.
Local Social Democrats councillor Caroline Winstanley raised the issue with Wicklow County Council, concerned over the impact of such an organisation being involved with the county's biggest family event of the year.
Speaking on Tuesday evening, having learned that the Bray Air Display organisers had dropped Lockheed Martin, she said: 'I am pleased that following my representations, Wicklow County Council, to their credit, engaged with the organisers of the air show, which has now resulted in this very positive outcome.
'The decision to drop this company from the list of sponsors is more than just a symbolic gesture. While it sends a powerful message of solidarity to the people of Gaza, it will hopefully encourage the government to take real action against Israel.'
Providing more background to her calls for this move, the Bray West councillor added: 'In response to mounting public pressure, the organisers of the air show have done the right thing by dropping this company – which supplies Israel with military equipment including fighter jets and Apache helicopters – as one of the event's sponsors.
'With more than 54,000 Palestinians slaughtered by Israel since this conflict began, it is unconscionable that Bray Air Display – which brings so many families together every summer – should have any association with a company that directly profits from the genocide taking place in Gaza.
'It has also emerged that the financial contribution from Lockheed Martin to the Bray Air Display was only €5,000.
"As a neutral country, we should never offer public relations platforms to major weapons manufacturers – particularly ones that are actively profiteering from Israel's war crimes. At a time when many communities across Ireland are standing up for human rights, we must ensure that public events do not become vehicles for the silent endorsement of companies that are complicit in genocide.'
The Bray Air Display is due to take place on Bray's seafront on August 2.
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