FIREFIGHTERS called to assist police at a protest targeting an Israeli arms factory in Leicester withdrew today in solidarity with Palestinians.

Members of the Palestine Action group clambered onto the roof of the UAV Tactical Systems factory in Leicester in the early hours and chained the site’s gates shut, halting the production of arms. 

The factory, owned by Israeli weapons giant Elbit and Thales UK, is involved in building combat drones which activists say are being used by the Israeli military to bomb Gaza.