Arson Attack on Elbit Systems Office in Bern, Switzerland

The Bern office of Israeli defense contractor Elbit Systems was damaged in an arson-related incident last Friday, according to Bern Cantonal Police, as per local reports.

Police said an unidentified female suspect entered the company’s premises shortly after 8 p.m. and caused property damage estimated at tens of thousands of Swiss francs. The individual reportedly damaged the entrance door and equipment inside the office. Authorities stated that no fire broke out and no injuries were reported. Emergency responders, including police and the fire department, attended the scene.

A video circulating online, posted by activists, allegedly shows the incident. The footage appears to show a person triggering a fire alarm before striking a glass door marked “Elbit Systems Switzerland” multiple times with a hammer.

Police confirmed that a formal complaint has been filed and an investigation is ongoing.

Elbit Systems supplies drones to the Swiss Army, a relationship that has drawn criticism from pro-Palestinian groups. Demonstrations have taken place in Bern, including an unauthorized protest related to Gaza in May 2025. In a separate incident at the end of 2024, the entrance to the office building housing the company’s headquarters was spray-painted.

Separately, an underground group identifying itself as the “Earthquake Faction” claimed responsibility last week for setting fire to a facility operated by Elbit Systems in cooperation with Czech defense firm LPP Holding in the Czech Republic.