Brighton Palestine protest outside L3Harris packs up

A group of activists erected their tents five weeks ago near the L3Harris factory in Moulsecoomb, Brighton, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.

The company manufactures bomb racks used in fighter jets which have been sold to the Israeli Defence Force among other nations.

The tents, adorned with Palestinian flags, were placed on council land at the corner of Lewes Road and Home Farm Road and acted as a temporary events space hosting pro-Palestine talks and sing-a-longs under the name Brighton Peace Camp.

Activists wearing face coverings to conceal their identity outside the camp (Image: Natasa Leoni)

A spokeswoman for the group 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."

Brighton and Hove City Council ordered the camp to close more than one month ago.

A spokesman said: “We respect the right to protest but we do not accept unauthorised encampments.

“We always take action to remove unauthorised encampments as soon as due legal process allows.”

Read more: Arms factory extension plans should be granted, council report says

The activists left on Sunday  after five weeks on the site but suggested they might return at some point.

Plans to keep an extension to the L3Harris site have been recommended for approval.

This is despite hundreds of objections, mostly relating to the ethics of manufacturing products used in wars.

A planning report said: "Whether activities are seen as unethical or immoral is not, in itself a planning issue, and the use of any weapons and other items produced is strictly controlled through other regulation, including which entities have access to them and whether the operator has or should have an export licence."