A BEDFORDSHIRE factory which produces arms for despotic regimes around the world was blockaded by peace campaigners today.

Activists occupied the access road to the Ampthill plant, run by arms dealer Lockheed Martin, at 5.45am, preventing traffic from accessing the site.

The protesters, belonging to the Block Lockheed group, locked themselves to each other and unveiled banners which accused the company of crimes against humanity.

They highlighted similarities between the Russian invasion of Ukraine and attacks on Yemen, with the firm known for arming Saudi Arabia which has bombed thousands of civilians in the Middle East.

Lockheed Martin has also been condemned for supplying weapons to Israeli forces occupying Palestine alongside other oppressive regimes globally. 

Police arrived at the site shortly after the blockade began, but as of yesterday afternoon they had not tried to remove the campaigners by force.

Block Lockheed stressed that it is drawing a ”line in the sand” and beginning a sustained campaign of direct action against the company.

The group’s Rebekah Lloyd said: “Lockheed Martin get rich selling weapons that cause untold destruction to lives in Palestine and Yemen, while simultaneously destroying our environment.

“This is a line in the sand. We are telling them we won’t accept it any more.

“We stand with our friends across the world campaigning for an end to this blood-soaked industry.”

The Peace Pledge Union’s Symon Hill welcomed the protest, saying: “We are horrified by Saudi attacks on Yemeni civilians in the same way that we are horrified by Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilians.

“Yet the UK government allows arms dealers to operate on the streets of Britain.

“Nonviolent direct action is an important way of resisting this outrage, as people put their bodies in the way of violence and militarism.”

Lockheed Martin is yet to comment publicly on the demonstration.