Pro Palestinian protesters target Dorset aerospace firm which they claim supply the Israeli military

Pro Palestinian protesters have blockaded an aerospace firm in Dorset.

About 200 people arrived at the entrances to Eaton Mission Systems in Wimborne early on Thursday morning.

The factory makes air-to-air refuelling systems which the campaigners claim are used by the Israeli military.

Similar protests by a group called 'Workers for a Free Palestine' have taken place at the L3Harris site in Brighton and in Glasgow and in Lancashire.

The campaigners are urging the firm and other companies to stop trading with Israel.

People in the group travelled to Dorset from all over the country. They include health workers, teachers, hospitality workers, academics and artists.

Harriet, who is a doctor living in London, says "The firm is only here to make profit, they don't care about this so we want to make it inconvenient for them so they stop doing it. We are least today stopping weapons being sent to Israel that will kill Palestinans and if that's all we achieve today that is a good thing."

A spokesperson for Eaton Mission Systems said: "We condemn everything that is happening in Israel and Gaza and we stand by all the innocent people affected by the conflict in Israel and Gaza.

"Everyone has the right to carry out peaceful protest, and we respect that right. The site focuses on air to air refueling systems. Any suggestion that the site in Wimborne manufactures weapons is not correct".

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