The lease for a drone company at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, which works with Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the Israeli military, and Elbit Systems, will not be renewed after over a year of protests from activists demanding its eviction. Although Easy Aerial is listed as a “fine art and photography” enterprise, records indicate it holds significant contracts with the US Air Force and CBP. A video from 2021 shows Israeli troops utilizing an Easy Aerial drone during military operations.
The Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation, governed by a Mayor-appointed board, made the decision not to renew the company’s lease during a board meeting on February 11. Activists, organizing under the name Demilitarize Brooklyn Navy Yard, have been campaigning through protests, emails, calls, and public meetings, claiming their diverse tactics have successfully impacted the supply chains linked to imperialism and fascism.
Navy Yard spokesperson Claire Holmes cited business reasons related to tenant behavior as the cause for the non-renewal, without detailing the specific conduct. New York City Councilmember Lincoln Restler acknowledged that community pressure likely influenced the decision, emphasizing that the business’s values were questioned by community leaders and stakeholders.
Activists criticized Restler’s announcement of the lease termination on social media, asserting that their grassroots efforts, not political figures, prompted this outcome. They are also pressing for the eviction of Crye Precision, a uniform supplier connected with ICE and international military forces, despite the company’s denial of contracts with the Israeli Defense Forces.
The February 11 board meeting was marked by heightened security measures, limiting public access and interaction. Activists continued their protest nearby, distributing literature and voicing their concerns about the board’s alleged complicity in international conflicts.
