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Harassment Law Used Against Anti-War Campaigners

chris b | 01.04.2005 19:07 | Smash EDO | Anti-militarism | Iraq | Repression | South Coast

On 25th March, Smash Edo, Bombs out of Brighton and 14 individuals were issued with intended injunctions under the 1997 Harassment Act, to be heard in the High Court on April 14th.

The law was first introduced to protect people from stalkers but was then used against anti-vivisection groups.. This is the first time it has been used against an anti-war or anti-arms trade group.

“SmashEdo” aims to shut down EDO MBM using awareness-raising and Non-Violent Direct Action tactics.”



If the injunction were granted it would limit demonstrations to no more than ten people for two and a half hours on a Thursday afternoon. Other prohibitions would include the banning of musical instruments/amplified sound, and protest camps within 3 miles of Edo’s factory or any of the employees’ homes. These terms are very similar to those on injunctions against animal rights campaigns, and the now defunct Stop Bayer Campaign.

If granted on the terms requested by injunction specialists Solicitors Lawson-Cruttenden it will represent a further twisting of the law’s originally stated purpose. One of the reasons that companies and the police use civil, rather than criminal law is that the burden of proof necessary to get an “interim” injunction is very low. In the case of this particular campaign there have only been a handful of convictions relating to minor public order offences (Obstruct highway/Aggravated Trespass).

The campaigns tactics have included: a visit by a Citizens Inspections Agency (CIA) team, weekly noise demos, Letter writing,a peace camp, Silent Vigils, demos in town A phone blockade,and a roof-top demo.

Other repression connected with the EDO campaign has included Solicitors threatening UK IMC with legal action and a campaigner who downloaded publicly available information from the Company House Website having his house raided and arrested by Sussex police.

Even without the injunction Sussex Police have used their powers to declare assemblies of two or more people subject to conditions.

chris b

Comments

Display the following 28 comments

  1. Selective Amnesia? — Zippy
  2. harrasment my arse — high court judge
  3. We Never Forget — Nellie the Elephant
  4. Erm...... whose actions? — Poxie Pixie
  5. Selective morality? — Not Sir Robert Warmsley
  6. Fuck the directors.Fuck Edo. — Fuck de Fuck.
  7. Limited Numbers — Bob the Builder
  8. re. Limited Numbers — Mr Blobby
  9. yum, more laws — bob basher
  10. harrasment my arse my arse — bob the builder
  11. Injunction hearing adjourned — tcp
  12. Media demonises legitimate protest — Sargon
  13. harrasment my arse my arse my arse — Walkman
  14. EDO's idea of democracy in a nutshell: — Gerald Winstanley
  15. Learn to count — Sir Robert Warmsley's personal daemon waiting to roast his balls in hell
  16. next noise demo — Sir Bob's inner circle of the inferno
  17. number cruncher — einstein
  18. Mr. Number Cruncher — Percy Peterson
  19. "but leave honest, working people alone!" — smashnik
  20. EDO protest ban violates human rights, warns MEP — Green party
  21. einstein sez — ftp
  22. Come to the high Court on Monday 25th may — tlc 4 edo
  23. Harassment my arse my arse my arse my arse — Bob the Builder
  24. re. Harassment my arse my arse my arse my arse — Gordon
  25. Where did they get the song title from — bob
  26. Move to another country ? — Free Trader
  27. Iraq: Setting the record straight — New American
  28. Hey Bob — Gordon