Protesters removed from firm

Protesters removed from firm

About 12 people protested at the Raytheon plant in Londonderry

Police have removed anti-war protesters from a defence technologies company in Londonderry.

The demonstrators occupied the Raytheon building on Thursday in protest at the company's involvement in making weapons which are being used by the coalition forces in Iraq.

US company Raytheon is one of the world's leading weapons manufacturers, although it says its Derry operation is involved in software for air traffic control systems.

About a dozen protesters occupied the building for a short time and hung an anti-war banner out of the window during the demonstration.

It is understood some were then carried from the plant by police.

The company declined to make any comment.

On Tuesday, anti-war protesters entered Derry City Council's chamber to ask councillors to join them in their protest against the company.

Bunnies

In Belfast city centre, a protest was held outside the American Consulate on Thursday, featuring campaigners dressed as easter bunnies.

Bewildered shoppers looked on as Rob Fairweather and Mark Chapman of the Justice Not Terror group made their views known.

They shouted "bunnies not bombs, carrots not cruise," but denied their approach was trivialising the conflict.

Protesters chained themselves to drain pipes outside petrol station

"It is this value of this time of year it is spring, it is the breath of new life... and we are counterposing that with death and destruction in Iraq on the part of Iraqi civilians, Iraqi soldiers, US soldiers, British soldiers and we abhor that loss of life," Mr Chapman said.

In a separate protest, anti-war demonstrators blocked both entrances to a petrol station on Great Victoria Street in Belfast.

A number of protesters chained themselves to plastic drain pipes on Thursday.

They said control of oil in Iraq was the "real reason" behind the war.