Hundreds of protesters marched on a Glenrothes factory calling for an end to the manufacture of weapons of mass destruction in the town.
More than 200 protesters from across Scotland assembled outside Fife Council’s HQ before marching on the Raytheon plant in the town on Saturday.
The event was organised by the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign (SPSC) after reports the electronics factory produces weapon components that are contributing to the killing of thousands of people in Gaza. The firm makes navigation units for the Paveway II laser-guided bombs which have been dropped on Gaza by Israel.
The crowd marched peacefully from Fife House, where the Palestinian flag flew for a week as the local authority sought to raise awareness of the suffering in Gaza.
Speaking to the gathered crowd, Bill Mair of the SPSC said: “Our message today to Raytheon is no arms to Israel not in my name, not in my country, not in my town, not in Fife, not in Dundee, not from Perth, not from Edinburgh.”
Two weeks ago Kirkcaldy hosted its own March for Gaza and more than 700 people turned out to show support and solidarity to the families in Gaza, with Dunfermline Labour MSP Cara Hilton among them.
At the Glenrothes event she said: “Two weeks ago in Kirkcaldy we marched in solidarity of the people of Gaza. We marched in condemnation of Israel’s brutal attacks on families and innocent children.
“Today is not just about extending our support and solidarity, today we are here to show our anger that arms and military equipment made in Scotland, in Fife, here in Glenrothes, has been and continues to be used against the women, men and children of Gaza. We are also here to show our anger that Raytheon here in Glenrothes is one of Israel’s biggest arms suppliers.
“Raytheon tell us that they turn dumb bombs into smart bombs. I say all bombs are dumb bombs. There’s nothing smart about blowing up schools and hospitals, nothing smart about destroying flats, houses and whole communities.”
Mick Napier of the SPSC said: “The guys who are worse than the killers are the guys in the suits who make money by supplying the weapons of mass destruction.
“They don’t care as long as they get their fat bonuses and golf clubs and life of leisure. That’s even worse than hatred. I don’t like hatred, but callous indifference to mass murder is even worse. That’s what’s going on around the corner.”
A Raytheon spokesperson said: “Raytheon UK respects people’s rights to peacefully demonstrate. Raytheon’s Glenrothes facility carries out component work for a wide range of Government and commercial solutions.
“The company does not comment on geopolitical situations.”