STV NewsA man and woman have been arrested after campaigners staged a protest outside a factory in Edinburgh in a demonstration against arms being sent to Israel.
Members of Shut Down Leonardo blockaded the entrance to the Leonardo factory on Crewe Road North with a specially adapted van on Monday morning.
The group said the Italian-owned company makes components for “deadly” F-35 fighter jets, which are used by Israel.
One activist locked on inside the factory and another locked on to the top of the van, while glass jars filled with red and green paint were smashed.
Police confirmed a 35-year-old woman and a 40-year-old man were arrested in connection with the protest.
STV NewsA spokesperson said: “Around 6.15am on Monday, August 18, 2025, we were called to a report of a protest outside a business premises in the Crewe Road North area of Edinburgh.
Officers are in attendance, and a 35-year-old woman and a 40-year-old man have been arrested in connection.
“Enquiries are ongoing.”
It is the second protest outside the factory, with the group being launched on July 15 this year, after claiming the company receives “huge sums” of taxpayers’ money from the Scottish Government, in the form of subsidies.
A spokesperson for Shut Down Leonardo said: “With most world leaders either ignoring Israel’s genocide in Gaza, or actively involved in it, we cannot look aside while our Palestinian brothers and sisters are being exterminated.
“By shutting down Leonardo, we hope to disrupt the supply chain to the deadly F-35 war planes.”
Leonardo UK has been asked for comment.
Follow STV News on WhatsApp
Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
