Extinction Rebellion protesters arrested after blocking UK weapons factory

Derbyshire, England police arrested protesters Monday afternoon (July 13) after protesters from the group Extinction Rebellion created a blockade outside the gate of PW Defence in Derbyshire.

Two protesters padlocked their necks to the gate whilst one was perched on top of an erected structure.

The group prompted a large police presence and the road leading to the factory was closed whilst a police operation to remove the protesters was carried out.

The protest group said "This morning, protesters from Extinction Rebellion, Women of Colour - Global Women’s Strike and Global Justice Rebellion have prevented access to an arms factory that produces equipment including tear gas and rubber bullets.

The protestors are calling for an end to the manufacture, export and use of tear gas and rubber bullets by the UK.

The UK has multiple factories that export tear gas and rubber bullets globally, including to Hong Kong and the USA where protestors claim they are likely to have been recently used to violently quell protests.

The PWD Group is one of those which export to Hong Kong and the US where pro-democracy and anti-police brutality protests have been violently suppressed in recent weeks," according to reporting from the group's comments at the event.

The group is calling for the factory to be repurposed for creating technology which would allow the UK to create more sustainable energy.