"Hundreds protest outside defence factories against arms being sent to Israel", 7 December 2023

Hundreds of campaigners across the UK have gathered outside several defence factories to protest against arms being sent to Israel.

Workers for a Free Palestine...said it had blockaded sites in Bournemouth, Glasgow, Brighton and Lancashire, some of which are operated by defence giant BAE Systems.

Demonstrators want BAE systems and other companies to cut ties with Israel and stop supplying it with any weapons...

Many of the BAE factories targeted...are said to be involved in the supply of parts for F-35 fighter aircraft, which the group says is being used in Israel's bombardment of Gaza.

Jenny, a spokeswoman for the Workers for a Free Palestine group...said: "The fighter jets these factories help to produce are being used to imprison the people of Gaza in a death trap...

She added campaigners will not stop until factories stop supporting "Israel's murderous war machine".

They claim that BAE systems produces components for weapons sold to Israel, such as the F-35 and the Mk 38 Mod 2 machine gun system.

A spokesperson for BAE Systems said it was "horrified" by the situation in Israel and Gaza and it's "devastating impact" on civilians in the region.

"We operate under the tightest regulations and comply fully with all applicable defence export controls, which are subject to ongoing assessment", the spokesperson added.

Similar protests took place in France and Denmark...