Govan arms factory evacuated as activists cause "severe damage" to roof
Activists from Palestine Action Scotland scaled the roof of the building
Last updated 11th Jul 2022
A factory in Govan has been evacuated after activists climbed onto the roof in the early hours of this morning.
The group, from Palestine Action Scotland, scaled the building.
In a statement, they say they "began causing severe damage to site facilities, forcing workers to evacuate the building.
The group say they targeted the firm because of its production of surveillance drones.
"Thales is one of the world’s largest arms companies, producing military drones, armoured vehicles, missile systems and more.
"Amongst the assorted warfare-related hardware made by Thales, the Watchkeeper drone project stands out.
"The project seeks to further the policing and surveillance of captive populations belonging to the nations of Iraq, Palestine and Afghanistan."
Police are on the scene.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "Around 5.20am on Monday, 11 July, 2022 police were called to a report of a demonstration within the grounds of a business premises on Linthouse Road, Govan, Glasgow.
"Police Scotland is a rights-based organisation that puts our values of integrity, fairness, respect and a commitment to upholding human rights at the heart of everything we do.
"We have a duty under the European Convention on Human Rights to protect the rights of people who wish to peacefully protest or counter protest balanced against the rights of the wider community."
A Thales spokesperson said: “We can confirm we have been working with the police to resolve this latest incident at our Glasgow site. The safety of our employees remains our primary concern at this time while we co-operate with the authorities.
“The UK defence and security industry works within robust ethical standards that are among the highest found anywhere in the world, and treats its responsibilities under the law with the utmost seriousness.
“The defence sector is proud to support our Armed Forces with the equipment they need to protect our national security. Defence companies in Scotland and across the UK also provide thousands of rewarding, highly-skilled, and long-term jobs.”
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