One of Londonderry’s largest employers today shut down its operation due to a major protest at the neighbouring local plant of US arms manufacturer Raytheon.

Anti-war protesters gathered outside Raytheon’s Northern Ireland Systems & Software Centre from early this morning for what some members have termed ‘decisive but peaceful and non-violent action’, with dummy bodies and babies painted in red to signify civilians killed in the Middle East.

Organisers of the event say they intend to prevent employees from starting any work at Raytheon, one of a number of companies housed inside the Ulster Science and Technology Park in Springtown.

Around 70 protesters lined across the building first thing this morning with more expected later, while a sizeable number of police officers with dogs and surveillance equipment deployed to the site.

Homeloan Management Ltd, which employs more than 400 people and is also based in the park, today said it was invoking an emergency plan to close its Derry operation in light of the development.

A spokesman for HML said: “We can confirm that as a result of information received from the local police we have taken the decision to close our Derry office on Friday.

“HML staff and clients have been informed of the situation. We have business continuity arrangements which have been activated in order to minimise the impact on our operations.”

Unconfirmed reports suggested some employees were to be bussed to HML’s Belfast operation from a different location.

The Derry Anti-War Coalition meanwhile today said it was organising a ‘blockade’ of the Raytheon plant at Springtown.

The protest follows a Sinn Fein-led protest outside the facility — which employs 45 people — yesterday afternoon.

In a statement, DAWC spokesman Davy McAuley said that the protest would be the 50th demonstration against Raytheon organised by the DAWC since the company came to the city in 1999.

He said: “What we have planned is peaceful, direct action to bring home the sheer immorality of the major arms companies who are supplying the weapons being used in the murderous onslaught against the people of Gaza.

“It gives us no pleasure to mark the 50th action including marches, pickets, vigils, occupations, delegations, public meetings and debates.

“In addition, the Foyle Ethical Investment Campaign has faithfully held monthly vigils at Raytheon for years now.

“We don’t want to have to organise another 50 protests. The issue has to be brought to a head.”

Mr McAuley also issued a call to all parties which have declared themselves opposed to arms manufacture in Derry to tell Raytheon to “get out now”.

There was no-one available at Raytheon early this morning to comment.

However, a spokesman for the company yesterday branded claims by Sinn Fein councillor Gerry MacLochlainn that it is manufacturing software for guided missiles at its plant in Derry “totally inaccurate”.

Mr MacLochlainn claimed that “technologies developed here are now being used to kill and maim innocent civilians including children in Gaza, Iraq and Afghanistan”.

He further alleged: “Raytheon have now admitted that the plant in Derry is engaged in making guidance systems for guided missiles being used in Gaza and is a party to the appaling slaughter that we witness daily.”

A spokesman for Raytheon’s Northern Ireland Systems & Software Centre in Derry responded yesterday: “The facility in Derry does not, nor ever has, engaged in the manufacture of guidance systems for guided missiles. Any assertion to the contrary is totally inaccurate.”

In 2006, the North West Telegraph revealed that Raytheon’s Derry plant was developing software for a Ministry of Defence combat project, after obtaining documents under the Freedom of Information Act.

Software for the project definition of the MoD JETTS programme (Joint Effects Tactical Targetting System) was being developed in Derry by early 2005.

The Raytheon spokesman yesterday confirmed that a military software project was ongoing but claimed that this was a “management and planning software tool that is currently under development”.

Workers at the Derry plant are also understood to be developing software for a civilian turnpike motorways project in Florida.