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Report of protest at arms traders’ recruiting jamboree in St Leonards on Sea

Patrick | 30.11.2005 14:47 | Anti-militarism | South Coast

On Monday night (28/11/05), protesters turned out at the Royal Victoria Hotel, St Leonards on Sea, where BAE Systems (Britain's largest arms dealer) were holding a recruiting event.

Outside the hotel on Monday
Outside the hotel on Monday

Placard detail
Placard detail


In a protest co-ordinated by local group Hastings Against War, people gathered in the freezing cold to voice their opposition, hand out leaflets and, in some cases, go in and debate with BAE staff about the ethics of the arms industry.

In their ad in last week’s Observer, BAE Systems claimed to offer 'high quality projects and real quality of life.' But what about the quality of life for those on the receiving end of their weapons?

BAE Systems has a long and murky history of deals with dodgy regimes, including trying to sell military aircraft to Saddam Hussein's Iraq in the late 80s, and exporting attack aircraft to a genocidal dictatorship in Indonesia which were used in occupied East Timor.

The jobs that BAE had on offer were in Rochester, Kent. Representatives of BAE declined to comment when asked whether the aim of their recruitment evening was to “poach” staff from their local competitor, General Dynamics UK, which has two factories in St Leonards.

Emily, one of the protestors and a local resident said: “Companies like BAE and General Dynamics should be challenged whenever they try to present themselves as respectable corporate citizens. They profit directly from death and misery, and their business fuels conflicts all over the world.”

Links:
 http://www.baesystems.com/
 http://www.generaldynamics.uk.com/

Patrick
- Homepage: http://www.geocities.com/hastingsagainstwar/

Additions

more info on BAE

30.11.2005 20:21

For more info on BAE, see:
 http://www.corporatewatch.org.uk/?lid=182

disarmed


Comments

Display the following 2 comments

  1. Nice one! — Sim1
  2. would have been there if I'd known about it — BAE baiter