Instructions
Allianz Phone Blockade- Monday 9 June
We are targeting the Allianz head offices in the UK.
Thank you for joining this phone blockade and taking an active role in pressuring companies who are directly involved in the genocide in Palestine.
In this document, we have provided basic instructions for how to participate in this action scheduled for Monday 9th June. Please take the time to read through this in full before acting.
Aim:
The purpose of this action is not to get into a two way conversation / debate about Allianz's role in the israeli genocide of Palestinians. We know that they invest and insure in Elbit Systems and we know that the weapons that Elbit produce are used to slaughter the Palestinian people.
This action is about demonstrating the overwhelming public support for Palestine and for immediate divestment from israel and its genocidal war machine. Companies that continue to prop up israel and to make profit from its atrocities CANNOT be allowed to continue business as usual.
We therefore want as many of us as possible to be jamming their phone lines and being absolutely clear that we are doing so due to their unforgivable role in this genocide.
TO DO:
1) Read this guidance document.
2) Check the Timeslots spreadsheet in the linktree to see where we are low on people. We want ideally a concentration of people at the start of the day, however choose whichever slots suit you. We want multiple people in each slot so don't be deterred if your preferred slot is filled! If you don't know when you will be free, that's no problem.
3) Sign up to the slot(s) you want to do (or just register that you will be randomly participating through the day) on the Sign up form in the linktree. Use any name/ alias, this is just used so that if you forget which times you signed up to you can check the Timeslots spreadsheet again. Your sign up will be entered in manually to the spreadsheet by a volunteer so please be patient if you don't see your sign up appear on the spreadsheet immediately.
3) On the day, during your time-slot(s), call the phone number repeatedly.
4) Refresh this instructions page during your slot. If there's updates we will leave them in the phone numbers section below.
5) Leave feedback about how it went on the spreadsheet via the form on the link-tree.
6) Delete the calls out of your call log.
IF YOU GET THROUGH TO SOMEONE:
We have prepared a script for you to read (at the bottom of this document).
Often once the blockade has been going for a while, they will start to hang up on you. Take this as a sign that we are getting through to them. It shows we are causing significant disruption to their business explicitly due to their profiting of the genocide.
You can start the call with 'I have a car/ home/ van insurance policy with Allianz' or 'I am looking for a new car insurance provider but...' and then say the script in order to keep them on the line longer.
Remember, the purpose of this action is not to get into a two way conversation / debate about Allianz's role in the israeli genocide of Palestinians. If you finish the script, you can decide whether to hang up or try press them on their investments to waste their time.
Once the call has ended, call them again! Keep distracting them until your 15-minute time slot is over.
IF YOU DON'T GET THROUGH:
Often the phone lines will be disengaged once the blockade has been going a while. If all the office phone lines are disengaged:
Leave at least one voicemail for each (reading out the script or something similar)
Call the two numbers listed below for NatWest and Lloyds, which are managed by Allianz employees. (Customers with packaged bank accounts at these banks pay higher fees for additional benefits, including insurance through Allianz. These staff members are instructed not to hang up on calls.)
Once the call has ended, call them again!
OFFICE NUMBERS
*If you wish to hide your phone number from those you are ringing, enter '141' before entering their phone number.*
If this blocks you from calling the number, switch to no caller ID.
Numbers to be released on the day of action.
Allianz Script:
Hi,
I am calling because I was recently informed that Allianz invests nearly $1 million dollars into Elbit Systems- Israel's largest weapons manufacturers, enabling the murder and genocide of the Palestinians to continue.
In addition to Allianz's $891,000 dollar investment into Elbit, Allianz provides Employers Liability Insurance to Elbit Systems UK through it's subsidiary 'Allianz Insurance Products Trust'.
Without Allianz's liability insurance Elbit would not be able to operate. I demand you end this relationship immediately.
Elbit Systems is Israel’s largest arms manufacturer which produces many of the drones and missiles used to slaughter Palestinians.
I am sickened by Allianz's continued investment in this arms company, which directly implicates them in war crimes, ethnic cleansing and genocide.
Bank Script:
Hi,
I am calling as I am aware that you are currently providing packaged customers at your bank with Allianz insurance.
I was recently informed that Allianz invests nearly $1 million dollars into Elbit Systems- Israel's largest weapons manufacturers, enabling the murder and genocide of the Palestinians to continue.
In addition to Allianz's $891,000 dollar investment into Elbit, Allianz provides Employers Liability Insurance to Elbit Systems UK through it's subsidiary 'Allianz Insurance Products Trust'.
Without Allianz's liability insurance Elbit would not be able to operate. I demand you end this relationship immediately.
Elbit Systems is Israel’s largest arms manufacturer which produces many of the drones and missiles used to slaughter Palestinians.
For as long as Allianz continues to invest and profit from genocide, the money and discounts that you make from them is covered in the blood of murdered Palestinians and you are therefore complicit in the ongoing atrocities.
You have a clear moral duty to highlight Allianz's shameful business and demand that they divest from Elbit.
Guidance for conversation:
The workers on the phone may try to pass you off to another department in order to avoid being held accountable, in response you should emphasise that you have already been passed around and it is essential that your concerns are heard now.
Some questions you may want to lead with or respond with through the conversation:
- I am just calling to ask if you are aware that Allianz currently is complicit in genocide through it's Employers Liability Insurance in Elbit Systems - a company that we know is providing weapons that are being used in violation of international humanitarian law?
- How can I be sure that my money will not be used to invest in companies that are enabling violations of humanitarian law?
- As an employee, do you feel comfortable knowing that your company is making money from the murder of civilians?
- What are you as a worker for Allianz going to do to raise these issues with your employer?