Three women have been arrested under anti-terror laws after a van smashed into the fence of a major UK defence manufacturer in a protest against Israel’s actions in Gaza.
The early morning incident unfolded near Leonardo UK’s site on Crewe Road North in Edinburgh on Tuesday, where the facility’s perimeter was left damaged and daubed in white paint as pro-Palestinian protesters scaled the fence and unfurled a Palestinian flag.
The arrested women, aged 31, 34 and 42, were held under the Terrorism Act 2000 after the vehicle crashed into the site’s security barrier. Police Scotland’s Counter Terrorism Unit is now leading the investigation.
It comes amid heightened tensions around UK-based arms suppliers accused by campaigners of contributing to Israel‘s military operations.
The protest group Shut Down Leonardo Edinburgh claimed responsibility, accusing the company of manufacturing laser targeting systems for Israel’s F-35 fighter jets.
One witness at the scene said: ‘There’s loads of police in helmets and they’ve surrounded a van parked up against the fence of the factory. It looks like they’re trying to get into the van with an electric saw.’
Specialist police officers wearing helmets and harnesses were seen climbing onto the roof of the van in the tense moments before the arrests.
Witnesses said there were five police vans and riot officers in the area, with some based at a nearby Morrisons supermarket car park.
The arrested women, aged 31, 34 and 42, were held under the Terrorism Act 2000 after the vehicle crashed into the site’s security barrier
The protest group Shut Down Leonardo Edinburgh claimed responsibility, accusing the company of manufacturing laser targeting systems for Israel’s F-35 fighter jets
Police say they believe the incident was ‘targeted’ but confirmed there is no wider threat to the public.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Police Scotland said: ‘Three women, aged 31, 34 and 42, have been arrested under the Terrorism Act 2000 after a van was driven into an external fence of a business premises in Edinburgh. The incident happened during a disturbance in the Crewe Road North area of the city on Tuesday, July 15, 2025.
‘Police Scotland’s Counter Terrorism Unit are leading the investigation and enquiries are ongoing. We are treating this as targeted, and we do not believe there is any wider threat to the public.
‘If anyone was on Crewe Road North or in the nearby supermarket car park during the early hours of this morning and has any relevant dashcam footage or saw anything suspicious, please contact the Police on 101 quoting reference 0416 of July 15.’
The protest group behind the action later posted images of the crash, writing: ‘We’re taking action to shut down Leonardo’s weapons factory in Edinburgh.’
Shut Down Leonardo has previously accused the factory of producing components for Israel’s warplanes and said its aim was to stop the ‘production of Palestinian slaughter’.
The site has been the scene of repeated protests in recent months. In December, activists daubed red paint on the facility and unfurled banners reading ‘stop arming genocide’.
At the time, and again following Tuesday’s incident, Leonardo UK denied supplying weapons directly to Israel, insisting that it operates under strict UK government export controls.
Police say they believe the incident was ‘targeted’ but confirmed there is no wider threat to the public
The site has been the scene of repeated protests in recent months. Back in June, activists daubed red paint on the exterior of Leonardo’s office is left covered with red paint
The windows of Leonardo’s office are smashed after an attack by pro-Palestine activists on June 10
In a statement, the company said: ‘Leonardo UK is subject to UK government export controls and does not supply equipment direct to Israel.
‘The right to peaceful protest is an important principle in our society, however, aggressive and violent activity should have no place in protest.
‘The intimidation of our people, who work hard to support the security and defence of the UK, is not acceptable.
‘Our main customer is the UK Armed Forces. We are proud to manufacture technology that supports our service personnel and helps keep them safe. Their dedication underpins the freedom on which our society is based.’
The protest comes just weeks after the UK government formally banned the group Palestine Action, naming it a terrorist organisation after a series of raids and attacks on defence-linked sites.
Police enquiries remain ongoing, with officers appealing for dashcam footage or witnesses in the area on Tuesday morning.
