The South Central Ambulance Service has defended their use of deploying ambulances to the scene of a Palestine protest in Southampton today.

Pro-Palestine campaigners climbed the roof of the defence firm Leonardo UK's factory in Millbrook shortly before 7am, which saw police, firefighters, and paramedics attend.

A number of ambulances were pictured at the scene, with some readers calling into question why so many were needed in one place, when they could have been helping patients elsewhere.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, explained why a number of vehicles were required at the scene of the protest.

In a statement, a spokesperson said: “These were not standard ambulances that transport patients to hospital.

Daily Echo:

READ MORE: Palestine Action activists climb Southampton Leonardo UK defence firm roof

“We deployed our Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) which is a standard procedure when there are, or potentially are, patients we need to reach in potentially hazardous environments – such as locations at height, as this morning, with other examples being in water/coastal areas, rural areas away from tarmac roads, fires, construction sites, underground, RTCs, etc.”

They continued: “As a result, they need large vehicles with which to transport a wide range of equipment that they may need to utilise depending on the environment they are working in.

Daily Echo:

“HART is only deployed to such incidents and therefore their deployment has no impact on other patients awaiting a ‘standard’ ambulance response.”

The protest was stopped by police a few hours after the protest began, where one woman and two men were arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass and criminal damage.