Palo Alto local arrested for vandalism at Lockheed Martin

Kaahini Jain, News Editor

Palo Alto local Bryce Druzin spray painted the word “Yemen” in protest of the Saudi Arabian war in Yemen and Lockheed Martin’s involvement with the weaponry being used.  “8-9-18” refers to the date of a bombing on a school bus that killed 40 children, which is what made Druzin decided to take action.  The bomb used in the attack was manufactured by Lockheed Martin.  Druzin was arrested for vandalism at Lockheed Martin. Photo: Bryce Druzin

Palo Alto Police arrested a 34-year-old man after he admitted to vandalizing the Lockheed Martin Palo Alto headquarters on Saturday.  He has been charged with a felony but no other information about his case has been revealed yet.

My name’s Bryce Druzin and I just vandalized Lockheed Martin’s office at 325 Hanover St., Palo Alto,” an email received by Palo Alto Weekly said.  “I did it to protest Lockheed’s sales of weapons to Saudi Arabia for their war in Yemen and President Trump’s recent veto of bipartisan congressional legislation that would have ended U.S. involvement and weapons sales.”

Druzin spray painted the word “Yemen” in red across the Lockheed Martin sign.  The aerospace company sells weapons to Saudi Arabia which they use in their war with Yemen.  

About an hour after Weekly received the email, police arrived at the location where Druzin was calmly waiting.  

He said his breaking point was the Aug. 9, 2018 bombing of a school bus which killed 40 children.  The bomb was dropped by Saudi Arabia and was manufactured by Lockheed Martin.

In 2003, there were protests for similar reasons at the Sunnyvale location, and many students were arrested. However, since then there have been no major protests concerning the company.

Druzin expressed no regrets about his actions when he spoke to Weekly as he was being arrested.  

“You know, it just kind of built up over time. I’m glad I finally did it. I grew up in Palo Alto, and it’s embarrassing to have this company in my hometown,” Druzin said.  “These are our neighbors that live in the community and they’re helping murder people. . . I don’t want Lockheed here anymore. It’s a real simple thing for me.”

Druzin, who was an intern for Palo Alto Weekly in 2012, went on to write as an economic development reporter at the Silicon Valley Business Journal for four years, and left in 2016.  

He is now an up and coming comedian in the Palo Alto area.  After almost a year of inactivity on his Twitter account, he posted a link to the Weekly article covering his arrest.  

Druzin was charged with felony and said he hopes his actions inspire Paly and Stanford students to protest the aerospace company.

He said, “If we have a neighbor who helped kill tens of thousands of people, I wouldn’t want them in our neighborhood.”