Masked Vandals Damage CAF Trains in Spain, Raising Fears of Delay for Israel Delivery

Masked activists vandalized electric train carriages belonging to CAF in the town of Beasain in Spain’s Basque Country, where rail and related equipment manufacturing is a major local industry. The cars were intended for Israel’s Purple Line, which will connect eastern parts of Gush Dan via Ramat Gan and Givatayim to central Tel Aviv.

Spanish media reported that the carriages were likely bound for Israel. The vandals said they targeted CAF because, in their words, the company “operates a line in Jerusalem that crosses into occupied Palestinian territory.” They took responsibility for the attack.

According to reports, the attackers, dressed in black and wearing masks, smashed windows and sprayed red messages condemning what they called the “genocide in Gaza,” calling to “destroy Israel” and labeling CAF a “partner.” The damage is expected to delay the delivery of the trains.

On Saturday, a protest was also held in Beasain during CAF’s shareholders’ meeting, denouncing what organizers called the company’s and the Basque government’s “criminal acts” and saying that “the money that will be distributed is stained with the blood of the Palestinian people.” At a press conference, organizers said “the disaster Israel has been carrying out since its founding continues without interruption,” and accused companies in the Basque Country of profiting from “genocide and apartheid.” They said CAF works with Israel’s Shapir and has contracts worth millions of dollars to build rail lines in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. They added that CAF helps stabilize what they called Israel’s “deadly colonial project” by supporting Israeli firms, the settlements economy, and transport infrastructure linking settlements to Jerusalem while isolating Palestinians.