Three pro-Palestine protestors have appeared in court charged with terrorism offences after their van broke through the exterior fence of a defence factory in Edinburgh.
The women, aged 31, 34 and 42, were arrested following the incident on Tuesday 15 July at the Leonardo facility in Pilton area to the north of the Scottish capital.
The trio were subsequently charged under section 57 of the Terrorism Act 2000 on Sunday before appearing at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Monday.
Following the incident on Tuesday, pro-Palestine group ‘Shut Down Leonardo’ said protesters had damaged the Crewe Road North aerospace facility, which they said was responsible for producing the laser-targeting system for the Israeli Military’s F-35 fighter jets.
On the day of the incident, the group posted a photo of the three women on X, sitting handcuffed on the roof of a van draped in the Palestinian flag.
The post said: “Trying to stop genocide is a duty, the real criminals are the ones enabling it!”
On Sunday, dozens of pro-Palestine supporters congregated outside Police Scotland’s Govan headquarters with the three activists detained inside.
A similar scene unfolded on Monday morning with dozens more protestors waving Palestine flags, opposed to the trio’s continued detention.
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X/Shut Down Leonardo | Three women charged under terrorism act after breaching perimeter at Edinburgh defence factoryJournalist and human rights activist Craig Brown told the crowd that the charges against the three women were “incompetent”.
He said: “Two weeks ago, the High Court said that direct action in itself is not terrorism and it is only one organisation - Palestine Action - which has been prescribed, not every organisation and not every action.
“So the charge of terrorism is not competent.”
The Campaign Against Arms Trade group called the arrests “a chilling threat to our civil liberties and our right to protest against genocide profiteers.”
Leonardo UK employs around 8,500 people at nine sites around the country and is a critical supplier to the Ministry of Defence, according to its website.
The firm insists it “is subject to UK Government export controls” and “does not supply equipment direct to Israel”.
A statement from Leonardo UK said: “The right to peaceful protest is an important principle in our society, however, aggressive and violent activity should have no place in protest.”
Following the Edinburgh site perimeter breach, Police Scotland confirmed its Counter Terrorism Unit is leading the investigation, and enquiries were ongoing.
The force is appealing for witnesses who can assist them in tracing the movements of two vehicles on Monday 14 July and Tuesday 15 July: the blue Ford Transit van discovered at the scene of the arrests and a white Honda CR-Z later discovered in a car park on Gorgie Road.
Officers urge witnesses to come forward by calling 101 and quoting the reference number 0416 of July 15.