A police officer was taken to hospital after being hit with a sledgehammer while responding to reports of criminal damage at a site belonging to Israeli defence firm Elbit Systems in Somerset.

Video footage released by activist group Palestine Action claims to show people attacking equipment in the facility with crowbars and sledgehammers and spraying the walls of the building with red paint in the early hours of yesterday morning.

In a statement, Avon and Somerset Police said: “A large vehicle was driven through the fencing of the site and used to ram the entrance to the building.

“More than a dozen people then exited the vehicle and began attacking the building and causing significant criminal damage.

“Employees of the business who attempted to intervene were assaulted by the offenders with weapons.

“Officers arrived at the scene within minutes and were quickly able to detain six people. The other offenders fled the scene and detectives are already working to identify and arrest them.

“During the incident, two officers were assaulted with a sledgehammer.

“One of the officers has been taken to hospital with injuries to her back while the other officer received medical treatment at the scene by paramedics after being struck on the back of his legs.”

Superintendent Paul Wigginton told the media: “This is a disturbing incident involving people willing to use significant violence against anyone who got in their way as they targeted this business.

“The criminal damage is bad enough but to attack people with weapons is outrageous.

“Some of those involved were able to flee the scene but detectives are already working hard to bring them into custody.

“There is no justification whatsoever for what happened and those responsible will face severe consequences.

A spokesperson for Elbit Systems UK Limited told the BBC that a security guard had been injured.

Local MP for Filton and Bradley Stoke Claire Hazelgrove told the JC: “I know our community will be appalled to hear of this dreadful violence. I strongly condemn these brutal attacks on our police officers and all those who were assaulted. Thank you to all who responded courageously in the face of this, and I hope that everyone harmed – including the police officer taken to hospital – has as smooth a recovery as possible.

“Violence of any kind, including against police officers serving our community, is unacceptable. I’m glad to hear that arrests have been made as these individuals must be brought to justice.”