Pro-Palestine protesters demonstrate against supply of F-35 parts to Israel
Protesters have gathered outside the premises of F-35 fighter jet manufacturer Lockheed Martin UK, calling on it to stop sending parts to Israel for use against Palestine.
The Palestine Solidarity Campaign organised the demonstration at the site in Havant, Hampshire, with protests also taking place at other manufacturers in Rochester, Kent, and Sheffield, South Yorkshire.
Scores of people waving flags and holding banners and placards paraded from Havant town centre to the Lockheed Martin premises which had closed ahead of the protest taking place.
A speaker told the crowd: 'I am ashamed at the police today, they should be storming this building, this is a terrorist training camp, this is the sponsored UK terrorism and the police should be shutting it down.'
Protester Alan Elliot, 70, from Southampton, who served in the Army for 28 years held up a placard saying 'Veterans against genocide in Gaza'.
He told the PA news agency: 'I don't want to see babies, children and women being killed indiscriminately – this sends a message but always that message is ignored.
'The only way to stop these things is to stop the money.'
Writer and activist Sarah Goldsmith-Pascoe, 69, from Bournemouth, Dorset, said: 'I feel compelled to do everything I can to stop this horror, especially as a Jew because all of us Jews have been told a load of lies about what Israel does.
'This is genocide and large companies are doing nothing about it, I have nightmares.'
The Government halted 30 out of around 350 arms sales licences to Israel in September last year, for fear they may be used for war crimes.
MPs critical of Israel's actions have called on ministers to go further, and to halt all UK arms sales to the country.
A Foreign Office spokesperson said previously: 'Since day one, this Government has rigorously applied international law in relation to the war in Gaza.
'One of our first acts in Government was to suspend export licences that could be used by the Israeli Defence Forces in Gaza.
'We have successfully implemented the suspension decision and continue to refuse all relevant licence applications.
'We have suspended direct exports of F-35 parts for use by Israel, and we categorically do not export any bombs or ammunition which could be used in Gaza.
'We have also suspended negotiations on a free trade agreement, while supporting humanitarian efforts through the restoration of funding to UNRWA, and the commitment of over £230 million in assistance across the past two financial years.'
A Lockheed Martin spokeswoman said: 'We respect the right to peaceful protest, and we remain focused on supporting our customers to deliver strategic deterrence and security solutions.'
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