Ladson, SC - On May 1st, 2026, more than 70 workers and community members gathered to commemorate International Workers Day with a rally and demonstration against Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems. Dozens of passing cars honked in support of demonstrators chanting and holding signs.
Organized by a coalition of labor, community, and faith organizations under the Elbit Out of South Carolina campaign coalition, the event drew attention to the Israeli weapons company’s receipt of public tax money while under international investigation for alleged involvement in bribery, corruption, and war crimes. Elbit Systems and its subsidiaries are the largest supplier of arms to Israel, which is engaged in an ongoing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and the illegal mass killing of civilians in Lebanon and Iran. Last year, after receiving massive tax breaks and subsidies from Charleston County Council, Elbit Systems and its subsidiaries were suspended by NATO's procurement agency as part of NATO’s largest ever corruption scandal involving allegations of bribery and sanctionable practices.
“As the Trump and Netanyahu regimes continue to bomb civilians and commit war crimes from Gaza to Iran, Elbit Systems profits from this mass murder. And these criminal wars abroad are making our lives here as workers more expensive and less safe as the cost of gas skyrockets and public resources are drained from our schools, hospitals, and housing systems,” said Alex Bismuth, a former Starbucks worker.
Today’s rally in Ladson was part of an international day of action celebrating the power of organized workers to improve their communities. Similar rallies against Elbit Systems and its suppliers and subsidiaries took place this month in Japan, Italy, Romania, and elsewhere across the United States. The Elbit Out of SC coalition will continue holding its weekly pickets against the weapons manufacturer, documenting abuses by police and security, and engaging the community.