Bombs From General Dynamics In Saco Butcher Gaza Kids

This striking banner made its debut today. Not a single reporter showed up in response to our media alert -- shameful complicity in hushing up Maine's role in profiting from genocide.

About twenty of us gathered in the chilly dawn outside Saco, Maine's bomb factory this morning. Directly across the street from an elementary school, the General Dynamics "facility" (as they prefer to call it) produces the guidance systems for bombs used by Israel to carpet bomb Gaza -- the results of which can be seen below.

Shared with caption "The genocide of Gaza"  January 7, 2025 by Mustafa Barghouti on Twitter

There was an interesting mix of strong reactions to our presence and our messaging today. Someone must have posted on social media that the school was put "in lockdown" due to our presence because a few people yelled at us about that.

These signs were facing the factory, but you can see the school playground in the background.

Considering we've been there multiple times without a lockdown or any threat to student safety occurring -- and given the fact that the temperature with wind chill "felt like 6° F" -- this former teacher is guessing that what actually happened is that the kids had inside recess. Hardly the same as a lockdown.

Some adults driving by called us insulting names. One told us protesting never changed anything. (Sure it didn't.) 

The crossing guard was giving the stink eye to our solemn procession with shrouds, each representing an actual child that Israel has killed recently in Gaza. So on our next pass I said to her, "If it was your 4 year old grandson I was holding, then would you care?"

"You're terrorizing the children!" she said. And at this point a woman in a vehicle waiting at the intersection also began hollering this accusation.

"Genocide is terror," my friend responded. Later, someone from our group went over to talk with the crossing guard but I didn't hear a report back on what was said.

Conversely, many of the passing vehicles this morning honked, waved, or gave thumbs up and other hand signals to show their support. It seemed there were more of them than usual. Maybe every tenth car or so? I didn't actually collect data but I did confer with some of the other protesters over eggs and home fries afterwards and they had a similar impression: more numerous angry motorists plus more numerous supportive motorists.

Some of us have already been there many times. We expect to return, including this Friday at 2:30pm.