A PEACEFUL Palestinian solidarity protest in Glasgow has once again ended in 14 arrests and accusations of police brutality.

Around 100 workers and protesters had come from near and far to Govan at 5am on Wednesday morning to blockade the entrance to Thales as site employees arrived to begin their shift.

Protesters have repeatedly targeted the site after it emerged the French-owned defence technology specialist had a contract with Elbit. 

The Israeli arms manufacturer is responsible for supplying 85 per cent of Israeli drones and land-based military hardware used in its slaughter of more than 37,000 Palestinians — an estimated 21,000 of them children — since the invasion of Gaza in October.

In May, Police Scotland’s handling of a protest at the site was labelled “brutal and idiotic” by observers and led to accusations of overreach and attempts to intimidate protesters and press alike.

Almost two months later, those accusations have resurfaced.

After more than four hours of the blockade, police moved from the use of a cordon to hamper communication and press access to using physical force to pin protesters against the perimeter fence, with no apparent provocation.

A series of arrests followed as senior officers selected protesters to be dragged out of the now kettled crowed.

As members of the blockade were forced from the site, they continued to be shepherded by dozens of police on foot and in vehicles for more than a mile through the streets of Govan as protesters attempted to enter the subway station.

A spokesperson for the unaffiliated group behind the blockade said: “The police’s action today was a completely disproportionate response and a huge overreach of their powers.

“Many protesters were beaten by batons, others were pepper-sprayed, and at least two people ended up in hospital.

“This is not a proportionate response to our actions.

“Time and time again the police show that they do not keep us safe.

“Right now, Thales is actively profiting from bombs raining down on Gaza in violation of international law.

“Yet the police are more concerned with protecting Thales’s ability to operate than with ensuring the safety of the Scottish public or the peace and safety of the people currently in Gaza.”

Police Scotland were contacted for comment.