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Lockheed Martin: Palestine protesters install blockade

BBC/Sam Read Two people attached to a car outside the Lockheed martin gatesBBC/Sam Read
Protestors attempted a blockade outside Lockheed Martin's facility in Ampthill, Bedfordshire

The Palestine Action group has blockaded one of the UK sites of military aircraft firm Lockheed Martin.

Two campaigners secured themselves to a vehicle blocking the gates at the facility in Ampthill, Bedfordshire earlier.

The group has been protesting against the company's provision of planes and weapons to Israel.

In a statement, Lockheed Martin, a US company, said it "respect the right to peaceful protest".

About 20 protesters, some with Palestinian flags, were chanting close to the pair who were lying on the ground outside the gates.

Israel has vowed to continue its assault in Gaza which followed the cross-border attack on southern Israel on 7 October when 1,200 people were killed by Hamas gunmen, who also took more than 200 people hostage.

A four-day pause in hostilities has been agreed in a deal to release both 50 hostages held by Hamas and some 150 Palestinians held in Israeli jails.

The group in Ampthill said the protest was "in solidarity with the Palestinian people, who have experienced almost seven straight weeks of unrelenting bombing" and it began at about 08:00 GMT.

BBC/Sam Read Protestors outside Lockheed Martin with Palestine flagsBBC/Sam Read
About 20 protestors were outside the facility, waving flags and chanting

Lockheed Martin UK, which has more than 20 sites across the country, is the British arm of the Lockheed Martin Corporation.

The Ampthill facility covers 64 acres and the company's website said it employed 550 workers and "the facility's skills and expertise support a range of capabilities, including air-land integration, battlespace management, ground-based air defense and weapons safety, integration and support".

In March 2022, an anti-weapons group called Block Lockheed, prevented vehicles entering the plant.

In a statement regarding the latest protest, Lockheed Martin said: "We respect the right to peaceful protest which is conducted within the laws of the land.

"Bedfordshire Police are handling the situation and it would be inappropriate for us to make any further comment at this time."

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