James Cropper plc no longer involved in art event following controversy over arms trade links

Burneside company James Cropper plc has ended its sponsorship role at a prestigious art and design event due to take place in London on 5th February. This decision comes after campaigners alerted organisers of the event to Cropper’s role in producing materials for Israel’s warplanes that have been used in the Gaza genocide.

James Cropper plc was due to sponsor the “Multiplicity” event in London, a gathering of professionals working in the art, design and creative industries. Campaigners have received confirmation that James Cropper plc will no longer sponsor the event, and the company’s logo has been removed from the event website (Compare archive version of event website: https://web.archive.org/web/20260122150535/https://multiplicitybyfoilco.com/

with current version: https://multiplicitybyfoilco.com/).

Campaigners from the “Paper not Planes” group oppose the role of James Cropper plc’s “Advanced Materials” division in making high-tech materials for military use - including in the F-35 warplanes that have been used by Israel to bomb civilians in Gaza.

Sam Metcalfe, a spokesperson for the campaign said “We are delighted that James Cropper plc will no longer be sponsoring this event. As long as Croppers makes materials that are used by the Israeli military, any company that works with them is also risking their reputation. Israel’s war on Gaza has led to the widespread destruction of Palestinian art, culture and heritage. We can’t allow companies to hide their involvement in genocide and war crimes behind sponsorship of the arts. The bosses and owners of Croppers must end their complicity in genocide, and protect jobs, by getting out of the arms trade. The company should be making beautiful paper, not warplanes.”

The UN has declared that Israeli attacks on educational, religious and cultural sites in the Occupied Palestinian Territory amount to war crimes and the crime against humanity of extermination. The war on Gaza is widely recognised by UN bodies, governments, and human rights organisations as being a genocide. Over 70,000 Palestinian people, including 20,000 children, have been killed by Israel in the war on Gaza. Hundreds of civilians have been killed since the ceasefire came into effect in October 2025.

Clarification: following receipt of a letter from James Cropper plc, we have been asked to clarify that the company was not "kicked out" of the Multiplicity event. The CEO of James Cropper plc states: "The decision to reduce our involvement in the charitable event was made collaboratively with the organisers, and solely due to practical and security considerations prompted by threats of disruption from individuals associated with your group."

A spokesperson for the Paper Not Planes campaign said: "The bosses at Croppers are clearly rattled. Sending threatening letters to campaigners who are highlighting their role in the war on Gaza is not going to stop us from speaking out. The best way they can avoid the bad publicity of being linked to an ongoing genocide is to end their role in producing materials for Israel's warplanes."

See also the detailed rebuttal of the latest James Cropper plc statement.