Brighton protesters camp by Lewes Road over L3Harris arms factory

A group of demonstrators have erected tents and hung flags from a rope fence at the junction of Lewes Road and Home Farm Road in Moulsecoomb, Brighton, calling for the city council to act against the L3Harris arms factory in a nearby business park.

The protest comes over L3Harris’s manufacturing of bomb racks used in fighter jets which are sold to the Israeli Defence Force and are being used in attacks on Gaza.

A Palestinian flag hung at the camp (Image: Natasa Leoni)

A spokeswoman for the group of protesters, calling themselves Brighton Peace Camp, said: “We want to make a statement to the council that we don’t want them to be complicit in this.

“We’re bringing visibility and creating a place where people can learn more. People can have a cup of tea and do some resistance art.

The camp is near the L3Harris factory in Moulsecoomb (Image: Natasa Leoni)

“It has been really good, part of what we wanted to do was to build a community around the resistance and provide a space where people can come together.”

The camp was erected on a patch of council land by the side of Lewes Road over the weekend.

Protesters say there is a rotating group of demonstrators manning the camp. They have not decided how long they will stay.

The camp is calling for an end to L3Harris’s presence in Brighton over its creation of bomb racks which are then used in American F35 fighter jets.

The peace camp (Image: Natasa Leoni)

These jets are then sold to the Israeli Defence Force through the United States Government Foreign Military Sales Process.

Social media posts from the IDF suggest that F35 plans are being used in the Israel-Gaza conflict.

Protests have been held across the city calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and rallying against L3Harris.

A planning application from L3Harris to keep a temporary extension at its factory is currently before Brighton and Hove City Council.

A spokeswoman for Brighton and Hove Stop the War said the group "offers full solidarity and support" to the camp.

The council was approached for comment about the encampment.