Pro-Palestine protesters blocked off the entrance to the NHS England headquarters today in a demonstration against the service's ties to an Israel-linked technology company.
The demonstrators - some of which were NHS staff - protested outside Wellington House by London's Waterloo Station, specifically targeting software firm Palantir - which they claim equips the IDF with military technology.
Palantir, a US-based company, was handed a £330million-valued contract with NHS England last year to create and run a data management system for hospitals.
The system - the Federated Data Platform - gives the NHS live data on occupied hospital bed figures and waiting list sizes.
Protesters say Palantir, the NHS-linked firm, has been providing AI-powered surveillance systems to Israel's government
PA
But the protesters say the firm - which has been accused of human rights abuses by Amnesty International - has been providing Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered surveillance systems to Israel's government.
Protesters were seen unfurling banners demanding a ceasefire in Gaza, an end to Palantir's association with the NHS, and "freedom for Palestine".
On social media, Workers for a Free Palestine called Palantir "a US spy tech company that is resourcing Israel's genocide against the Palestinian people".
The group continued: "We are the workers! We won’t be silent! Stop the contract! NOW! NOW! NOW!"
MORE PROTEST CHAOS:
Protesters accused tech firm Palantir, which provides software for the NHS, of "arming genocide"
PA
While Georgie Robertson, a Corbyn-era Labour staffer, joined the condemnation, and said the firm "profits from Israel’s war on hospitals & killing of health workers", calling Palantir "genocide profiteers".
This is just the latest in a line of pro-Palestine demonstrations in the nation's capital - last week, activists targeted the entrance to a Government department building in a demonstration against UK weapons provision to Israel.
At the time, protesters staged a sit-in at the Department for Business and Trade - which blasted the action as "completely unacceptable".
A Department for Business and Trade spokesperson said: "It is completely unacceptable to harass civil servants as they go about their jobs and the attempt to enter the department by force cannot be justified in any way.
"We are grateful to the police for their response and swift action.
"We take our defence export responsibilities extremely seriously and operate one of the most robust export licensing controls in the world."
And just days prior, hundreds of activists - a combination of environmental and pro-Palestine protesters - targeted the British Museum in a large-scale demonstration which forced the famous landmark to close access to visitors.
GB News has approached Palantir and NHS England for comment about today's demonstrations.
