Global Allianz offices defaced over ties to Israeli arms supplier

On 1 November 2025, activists across Europe and Asia defaced Allianz offices across six countries in protest against the insurer’s underwriting of Elbit Systems, Israel’s main arms supplier. This action – which included using hammers, fire extinguishers of paint and graffiti cans to smash windows and cover buildings in paint – occurred simultaneously in the UK, France, Germany, Austria, Spain and Taiwan.

The protest groups involved in this activity included Shut The System in the UK and Shut Elbit Down in Austria, with the global events timed to coincide with the renewal of Allianz’s contract with Elbit Systems on 1 November and the anniversary of 1917’s Balfour Declaration.

The Balfour Declaration was a public statement issued by the British government during the First World World in support of the creation of a national home for Jewish people in Palestine. It was written by foreign secretary at the time Arthur Balfour.

A spokesperson from Shut Elbit Down said: “Allianz insures genocide by investing in the global arms trade. By insuring deadly arms companies like Elbit Systems, [it is] complicit in the world’s wars and genocides as well as ecocide. We demand [Allianz drops] Elbit or expect more visits from our activists.”

The UK-based Shut The System added: “Palestine is a crux point for our shared struggle for justice against imperialist forces. They massacre communities so that greed driven multinationals can ravage the land for oil, gas and minerals, devastating the support systems for all life on Earth.

”We will not stop until we bring down the deadly giants that threaten us all.”

Familiar target

In Germany, activists claimed Allianz’s marketing was misleading. A spokesperson said: “Allianz is spreading propaganda in the Berlin Metro. Don’t be fooled by these advertisements, this insurance company uses bloody money to finance genocide and ecocide. Boycott Allianz.”

Throughout 2025, Allianz has been repeatedly targeted by activist group Palestine Action over its alleged insurance and investment ties to Elbit Systems.

Protests have included smashing windows and splattering red paint across Allianz offices in cities across the UK. Demonstrators have scaled buildings, occupied Allianz’s City headquarters and even flown a drone carrying a Palestinian flag over the Allianz-owned Twickenham Stadium during a Six Nations match.

Allianz is one of Europe’s largest insurers and underwrites several companies in the arms and energy sectors, including Textron and Chevron, which activist groups claim are complicit in international conflicts and environmental damage. These incidents saw offices targeted in cities including Birmingham, Berlin, Frankfurt, Paris, Malaga, Vienna and Taipei.