Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Chronicle Live
Chronicle Live
National
Nicole Goodwin

Palestine activists remain in rooftop stand-off on Scotswood Road after 12 hours

Activists remain on the rooftop of an engineering factory in Newcastle on Monday evening - around 12 hours after police were called to the site.

Shortly before 7.30am, Northumbria Police received a report that a number of protestors had climbed onto the roof of a premises on Scotswood Road. Photos from the scene show a person standing on the rooftop of Pearson Engineering Ltd armed with a sledgehammer and a large banner fixed to the building's scaffolding which reads "75 years of Nakba. Resistance until Return".

And on the ground a number of supporters joined holding 'Free Palestine' signs and Palestine flags. The day of activism coincides the 75th anniversary of the Nakba - "the catastrophe" - a period of "ethnic cleansing" which has led to thousands of Palestinians being killed, hundreds of villages being destroyed, and hundreds of thousands of Palestinians being expelled from their hometown.

Read more: Gordon Gault's mum makes desperate plea six months after stabbing

The Palestine Action group says activists are "occupying the roof and dismantling the factory" at Pearson Engineering Ltd, which designs armoured military vehicles.

No arrests have been made and officers remain at the scene. A police helicopter was also seen in the area on Monday afternoon.

A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: "Shortly before 7.30am on Monday, police were made aware that a number of protestors had climbed onto the roof of a premises on Scotswood Road in Newcastle.

"Officers are currently in attendance at the scene, engaging with those involved."

Read next:

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.