Off-duty North Charleston PD officers arrest 3 on trumped-up charges at weekly Elbit picket

Ladson, SC – On Tuesday, July 28, during the Elbit Out of South Carolina’s (EOSC) weekly picket in front of the local Israeli-owned weapons manufacturer, Elbit Systems of America, three picketers, collectively known as the Ladson 3, were arrested by off-duty North Charleston Police Department (NCPD) on misdemeanor charges. One picketer spent the night in Al Cannon Detention Center.

“Officer Kramer and all the NCPD officers, being paid $60 per hour by Elbit Systems, have a long history of lying about the behavior of picketers and ignoring the crimes of Elbit workers,” said Collin Holloway, one of the Ladson 3. “I was issued a speeding ticket while I was a pedestrian and then arrested. It just goes to show the absurd lengths they will go to while working as mercenaries for a company complicit in genocide.”

The EOSC coalition has held weekly pickets outside of Elbit systems in Ladson for over two years now and this is the fifth arrest NCPD has made against picketers in that time. In August 2025, picketer Matt Colburn, an organizer with the Lowcountry Action Committee, was arrested and charged with damage to a vehicle for allegedly striking an Elbit workers car with a Palestinian flag. He was later found not guilty of the charges, as no evidence of damage to the car was presented by NCPD, despite that being a key requirement of the charge.

“Elbit uses taxpayer money to rent NCPD officers for 60 dollars an hour to intimidate, harass and arrest picketers on bogus charges. All in defense of genocide,” Colburn said. “The North Charleston Police Department is complicit in the ongoing genocide and war crimes and have blood on their hands. We will not let these war criminals intimidate us.”

Despite these recent arrests, EOSC says it will not be deterred and that repression means they’re having an impact.

“History repeats itself as those of us standing up for peace, life and humanity are targeted, harassed, repressed and arrested, while those who profit off killing and destruction, and those who protect them walk free,” said Autumn Waddell, an organizer with Free Palestine Charleston. “We will continue to fight until true justice is served and Elbit Systems Ladson factory is shut down permanently!”

A joint rally is being planned by EOSC coalition organizations a part of the coalition. The Ladson 3 all plan to plead not guilty and fight their charges.

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