A GROUP of pro-Palestine activists has damaged a council building once again by spraying red paint and smashing its windows.

The County Hall building in Taunton town centre, Somerset Council’s headquarters, was covered in paint by members of Palestine Action.

The group also smashed the windows of the Block A building.

A spokesperson for the group said: "Somerset Council have ignored their democratically passed motion and have taken no further steps to remove Elbit from their premises.

“By leasing to the Israeli weapons maker, they've made the whole county complicit in the ongoing Gaza genocide.

“They may find our actions a rude awakening, but it pales in comparison to the bombs which are raining down on the Palestinian people every day - bombs made by the company leasing Somerset Council's property."

Somerset Council said it was “very disappointed” at the further damage, and warned of the “additional cost to the public purse”.

A spokesperson for Somerset Council said: “We are very disappointed at further criminal damage to public property which will inevitably result in additional cost to the public purse.

“This matter was recently debated at full council, and we have already taken a decision to explore legal routes for eviction, or to sell the property.

“While we respect the right of individuals and groups to protest, we strongly condemn this style of protest damaging a Grade II listed public building."

Graffiti and red paint first appeared on the building in March, when activists sprayed red paint, bloody handprints, and painted messages that read 'Elbit out' and 'Evict Elbit'.

The group then demanded the eviction of a defence firm, Elbit Systems UK, from the council's property Aztec West 600 in Bristol.

Palestine Action claimed the firm could be providing weapons to Israel.

Elbit Systems UK denied the activists’ claims.

A spokesperson for Elbit Systems UK previously said: "We continue to invest and expand our range of services in the United Kingdom, providing critical support and advanced technology to the British armed forces from Aztec West 600 and other sites across the country."

Back in April, the council apologised to the firm after the activists said they could be providing weapons to the Israeli Defence Forces.

A motion at a full council meeting included a statement that “the tenant Elbit UK [is] a major UK based provider of weapons to the Israeli Defence Forces, used in the current Gaza catastrophe."

Somerset Council then apologised to the company, after Elbit Systems UK informed the council that the statement was factually incorrect.

An apology statement issued by the unitary authority on Friday, April 26, reads: "Elbit Systems UK Limited have contacted us to say this is factually incorrect and they do not supply weapons or military equipment to the Israeli Defence Forces or the Israeli Ministry of Defence.

"The council would like to apologise and withdraw the statement that Elbit Systems UK Limited supplies military equipment to the Israeli Defence Forces or the Israeli Ministry of Defence."