Jon Sutz

🚨 DSA National Leader Francesca Maviglia Vows to “Stop These Weapons Shipments Ourselves” and “Disrupt the Production and Shipping of Weapons” in Campaign Targeting @United Airlines and Elbit Systems During tonight's DSA call celebrating the organization's midterm election victories, National Political Committee member Francesca Maria Maviglia outlined plans for a nationwide campaign targeting critical chokepoints in the production and transportation of weapons to Israel. Maviglia made clear that the campaign intends to move beyond conventional protests and political advocacy. “If our government will not hear these demands, then we're going to stop these weapons shipments ourselves.” “We are going to implement an arms embargo from below, a people's arms embargo, which means that instead of pleading with policymakers, we are going to disrupt the production and shipping of weapons with community mobilizations, with pressure campaigns, and with worker action.” The campaign specifically identifies United Airlines and Israeli weapons manufacturer Elbit Systems as its two national targets, with multiple DSA chapters already participating. Maviglia's language is particularly concerning given the history of militant direct action against Elbit Systems. Anti-Elbit campaigns have previously involved factory blockades, break-ins, vandalism, and the destruction of manufacturing equipment. Against that backdrop, her declaration that DSA intends to “stop these weapons shipments ourselves” deserves serious scrutiny. Terms like “community mobilizations” and “worker action” may sound innocuous, but the stated objective is to directly disrupt the production and transportation of military equipment. Bringing a commercial airline into this campaign introduces an entirely different set of legal and security considerations. Given the history of militant anti-Elbit activism, United Airlines and federal authorities would be wise to examine exactly what forms of disruption DSA is contemplating.