Five people have been released on bail after a protest shut down an arms factory for over 12 hours.
Police were called to Cairo House, on Greenacres Road in Oldham, shortly before 6am on Tuesday (April 13).
Protesters, believed to be Palestine Action, scaled the Elbit Ferranti factory.
Several windows were smashed as demonstrators hung banners from the roof, shutting the factory down for the day.
Four vehicles from North West Ambulance Service; a fire engine from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue; and at least four tactical aid unit vehicles were scrambled to the scene, along with several marked and unmarked police cars.
A drone was deployed by the police.
Three men had secured themselves to the roof and were sheltering in a tent. Two women who chained themselves to the front doors were removed and arrested earlier in the day.
Officers cut away the tent, before using specialist tools to remove the protesters.
The first demonstrator was led down by police shortly after 4pm.
Officers continued to work on the roof for over two hours, eventually bringing down the remaining protesters at around 6.30pm.
The protest came weeks after the Ministry of Defence confirmed that Israeli company Elbit had won a contract for new ‘sensor to shoot’ systems.
The British Army has invested £102m in the high-end surveillance system, which allows frontline soldiers to detect and engage enemy targets in seconds.
Just last month, demonstrators blockaded the gates to the factory and sprayed the words ‘Shut Elbit Down’ onto the building.
In a statement, a GMP spokesperson said: "Police were called at around 6am on Tuesday morning (13 April) to a business premises on Greenacres Road in Oldham to reports of men on a roof.
"Officers are in attendance and found three men in orange jumpsuits on the roof of the building, as well as two protesters outside.
"Damage has been caused to the building, as well as a large amount of graffiti. A police van has also been spray painted.
"Two women have been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and a further three men have been arrested on suspicion of burglary after being removed from the roof of the premises."
All five were released on bail.
The M.E.N has contacted Elbit Systems for a comment.
