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Roof Top Protest at Smiths Aerospace - West Midlands

bozavine | 07.08.2003 14:21 | DSEi 2003 | Anti-militarism | Birmingham

At this very moment a number of activists are staging a roof top protest at the Smiths Aerospace factory in the West Midlands. The activists are protesting about the company’s production of electronics for the military industry.

At this very moment a number of activists are staging a roof top protest at the Smiths Aerospace factory in the West Midlands. The activists are protesting about the company’s production of electronics for the military industry. Others are believed to have entered the factory to disrupt production.

The protest is part of a build up to the Disarm DSEi (Defence Systems & Equipment international) series of protests scheduled to take place from the 6th to the 12th of September, at the ExCel Trade Centre, Docklands, London. A call out has been made to all activists to protest about the arms industry in the UK, which is mainly american owned. One activist called spike stated “because most of the companies are owned by global coorporations, any vote I make at the ballot box doesn’t affect these companies. If the British government decided to act against such organisations then they would simply shift production elsewhere. This is why we have been forced to resort to this sort of non-violent direct action.”

Smiths Aerospace are an exhibitor at the DSEi arms fair. Smiths Aerospace works particularly closely with the US, where it has played a key part in the development of flight systems for missiles, fighter aircraft and ‘unmanned’ attack systems. Smiths products would have been used extensively in the Iraq war.

Some of the activists are believed to be linked with Cardiff Anarchists Network. Others have come from as far afield as Manchester.

See

 http://www.dsei.co.uk/
www.geocities.com/bozavine/can
www.dsei.org

Below is the text from their Flyer

Smiths Aerospace make huge profits from the arms trade – an international political business made up of multinational companies who kill and maim for profit.

Like most of the major arms companies, Smiths operates on a transnational level – so it is difficult to justify its operations as ‘in the national interest’. Few major weapons systems are made on a purely national basis, so companies form conglomerates around the world. Smiths Aerospace works particularly closely with the US, where it has played a key part in the development of flight systems for missiles, fighter aircraft and ‘unmanned’ attack systems. Smiths products would have been used extensively in the Iraq war.

While Smiths develops its products with a few select partners, it is happy to sell its products almost anywhere. Aircraft and missiles with Smiths components are sold throughout the world, including potential war zones in Asia and Africa. Products such as their ‘multiple launch rocket system’ can end up (indirectly of course!) in the hands of some of the worlds most notorious regimes.

And as Smiths continues to make profit from developing nations, many of those nations descend increasingly into debt. Many of the issues surrounding global capitalism are intrinsically linked to the arms trade – debt, poverty and social instability.

Among the very many aircraft supplied by Smiths Aerospace are the BAE Harrier, the Apache helicopter and the F-16 fighter.

Customers of the F-16 alone include: Bahrain, Egypt, Israel, Jordan & UAE in the Middle East; Indonesia, Pakistan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan & Thailand in Asia; and Greece & Turkey in NATO

bozavine
- e-mail: bozavine@yahoo.co.uk
- Homepage: http://www.geocities.com/bozavine/can

Comments

Hide the following 9 comments

Update

07.08.2003 14:24

At this moment at least nine police cars and two police vans have turned up. It appears that the police don't quite know what to do. The protesters are enjoying an afternoon in the sun :-)

bozavine
mail e-mail: bozavine@yahoo.co.uk


Crisp support.

07.08.2003 15:18

Well done all!,

You could shower the piggies with crisps I suppose, (not the "Smiths's" variety)
Are the 'hedgehog' version still around?

Mind you, if they still don't know what to do, yer could always give suggestions
'F*** off,war supporters' etc.

Anyway, Hope ya have enuff supplies for long demo up there.

Greenlantern


Update II

07.08.2003 15:37

Apparently the little piggies don't know what to charge them with. At the moment they are threatening Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 (c. 52), section 241. This is all about stalking. I am amazed they can stalk anyone from a rooftop. Just shows how desperate the pigs are. don't ya just luv it when they're f***ed.

And cheers for the crisps idea. We thought smokey bacon was a more appropriate flavour for the little piggies :-)

bozavine


Solidarity!

07.08.2003 23:07

Nice one to all who were on the rooftops! Fuck their wars!! 'Pigs/Piggies' are beautiful sensitive sentient creatures that should not be associated with the fucking 'Filth' slave puppets of the state! Where's the respect?!

No war on humans or on the animal kingdom!

A.L.F


Update III

07.08.2003 23:25

4 people have been charged and bailed to return next thursday.

The legislation in TULRA(C) section 241 ( what they've all been charged with), is about storking SCAB employees. And everyone knows that when your on a roof, having a bit of a laugh with your mates is the most opportune moment to stalk SCAB employees. This is obviously why the police have charged the protestors with this piece of legislation

Four people are bailed to return next Thursday (in the middle of my bloody hols at EF!). One is charged with obstruction because the pigs are now claiming that gathering information for the PNC is compulsory. So 3 pigs held her against the wall to get her photo and charged her because she would not reveal the colour of her eyes. They state that legislation has recently changed. I would appreciate it if anyone has info on this. I still believe that they cannot force info for the PNC (apart from name and address when charging, definatley not colour of eyes), but if the situation has changed tell me.

Anyway, good day out, we'll probably sue for wrongful arrest, we're not going to let the bastards get away with this.

Personally, thanks to all the Manchester lot for allowing this to happen. It was really good to get to know other people. The one thing that will really scare the shit out of them is when we work together!

bozavine
mail e-mail: bozavine@yahoo.co.uk


response to ALF

07.08.2003 23:33

ALF

About piggies, you are quite right. It is completely derogatory to our piggy friends to associate them in any way with the filth that turned up today. I will desist from insulting our oinky friends in future, Sorry.

B

PS if your at EF get in touch, would be nice to meet, ask for Bo at the PGA meet.

bozavine


Smiths Areospace pics

08.08.2003 01:23

banner
banner

escorted out
escorted out

rooftop protesters
rooftop protesters

some pic of todays action from smiths. Ta to everyone who helped and made it happen

gf


To A.L.F

08.08.2003 13:00


Yes. apologies for the use of the piggies term.

Pity the demo coudn't have lasted longer.

maybe people could take the crisps idea further though.organic ones of course.

Greenlantern


Heh heh

08.08.2003 14:46

nice one to CAN and the Manchester Anarchist Youth crew :o)

Stop the arms fair!

destroy dsei
- Homepage: http://www.destroydsei.org