Anti-war protesters told to stop

Protesters blockaded the road outside EdoMBM last year

Anti-war protesters are appearing at a High Court hearing in London, where an injunction is to be served halting their protests at an arms company.

The activists from Brighton represent the Smash EDO campaign, and were presented with a summons last month.

The injunction on Thursday will stop them protesting outside the factory of defence manufacturers EdoMBM Technology, based in the Sussex city.

The company makes equipment for launching bombs and missiles.

It is clear that this injunction is an attempt to strangle our right to protest Protester Lorna Marcham

In a statement, EdoMBM said "threatening and menacing actions" had been directed at the company and its employees over the last year.

"Their actions go far beyond the bounds of peaceful protest and the company has been forced to go to court to protect itself and its employees from intimidation, harassment and obstruction.

"The company is fully committed to everybody's democratic right to protest peacefully, and its application under the Protection from Harassment Act includes provision for peaceful protests to continue."

Smash EDO claimed the "blanket nature" of the injunction sought could affect hundreds of people involved in the peace movement in Brighton.

Protesters highlighted the firm's role in making arms systems

Protester Lorna Marcham, who is one of those named on the summons, has vowed to fight the action.

"It is clear that this injunction is an attempt to strangle our right to protest," she said.

EdoMBM has been in the Brighton area for more than 50 years, and manufactures electronic and mechanical products for civil aerospace and defence applications.

The company said its defence components formed a small part of larger systems that equipped Britain's armed forces to operate in hostile and peacekeeping environments.