PROTESTERS were safely removed from the roof of a factory in Glasgow - as three were arrested.
Several Palestine Action Scotland activists made their way to the top of the Thales UK building in Govan in the early hours of this morning.
The group admitted causing "severe damage" to the site facilities and prevented site operations, resulting in Thales workers evacuating from the premises.
They referred to Thales as a "killer weapons factory".
It is believed that the protesters were later provided with equipment and assistance to abseil down the building, in order to get off safely.
Police Scotland confirmed officers had been at the scene since 5.20am on Monday morning.
Several police vehicles, as well as incident response vehicles, were spotted at the factory.
One man, aged 20, and two women, aged 19 and 27, were charged.
They are due to appear at Glasgow Sheriff Court on Tuesday.
Ishaq Aslam, who is not a member of the group but arrived to show his support, told the Glasgow Times: “We all know that Gaza is bombed almost every day.
“You have to ask, what is a weapons factory doing right next to one of Glasgow’s biggest hospitals?
“It’s a stain on Glasgow’s landscape.
“I hope after today more people will understand what this building is."
Layla Khan, from Glasgow, is not an activist but turned up to show her support for the demonstration.
She said: “ I think it’s really great that they are here and have shown the initiative to stop Thales doing what they do in Glasgow."
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "Around 5.20am on Monday, July 11, 2022, police were called to a report of a demonstration within the grounds of a business premises on Linthouse Road, Govan, Glasgow.
“Officers attended and engaged with those present.
“One man, aged 20, and two women, aged 19 and 27, have been arrested and charged in connection and are due to appear at Glasgow Sheriff Court on Tuesday, July 12, 2022.
“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.
"This means that we will 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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