The announcement that an arms factory will be forced out of its current site is “a victory for protest”, said a weapons trade expert.
Anna Stavrianakis, a professor at the University of Sussex, said the decision to not to renew the lease with force weapons trader L3Harris showed the bravery of protesters who chained themselves to gates in a bid to disrupt the business.
The professor, a lecturer in international relations, said protest groups would continue to call on the landlord Paxton to find ways to remove the arms factory before 2027.
Paxton said it will take over the L3Harris site at the end of the current agreement but as this is legally binding it cannot do so any earlier.
Professor Stavrianakis said: “It’s great news and I think it's really welcome that Paxton are saying publicly that they are not going to renew the lease.
“It’s a victory for protest. The protest was very peaceful and it meant it was closed for a day then it had a material impact on them."
Protesters have targeted the factory several times after it was revealed that parts made there are used to make fighter jets used in Israel.
Bomb racks made in Moulsecoomb are used in F-35 fighter jets which are sold to the Israeli Defence Force by the US government. F-35 jets have been used in the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza.
A Paxton spokesman said: “This agreement is legally binding and not something we can change.
“At the time we purchased, we made it clear to L3Harris that we will not be renewing the agreement when it expires and intend to move into the building for our own needs as soon as possible.
“We appreciate the right to peaceful protest and welcome the opportunity for an open discussion with the groups involved.”
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