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Raytheon and Erinys visited on day of action against the arms trade

edd | 31.07.2007 00:01 | DSEi 2007 | Anti-militarism | Iraq | London

A small group of about ten protestors visited Raytheon Systems, manufacturer of bombs and other ordnance, before moving onto protest at Erinys a private security firm (mercenary company) working in Iraq

Outside Raytheon
Outside Raytheon

Banner above entrance
Banner above entrance

Telling Raytheon what we think
Telling Raytheon what we think

Climbing to the balcony at Erinys
Climbing to the balcony at Erinys

Number 25 Grosvenor Street
Number 25 Grosvenor Street

'Mercenaries making a killing out of war'
'Mercenaries making a killing out of war'

A very shy policeman
A very shy policeman

Keystone cop drop-outs
Keystone cop drop-outs

After the arrests
After the arrests


Mid morning on Monday 30th July a small group of protestors visited Raytheon systems on 80 Park Lane. A couple of people ventured onto a ledge about the entrance way with a banner reading, 'smart bombs, stupid wars'. Some other people entered the building to question people working inside about why they help manufacture weapons that have such devastating impact on human lives. Outside people handed out leaflets and talked through the megaphone to those inside and other people on Park Lane.

After an hour the group decided to move on to Erinys, at 25 Grosvenor Street. Erinys is a private security firm with 14,000 mercenaries working for them in Iraq. It was established by an ex-Apartheid era official called Sean Cleary, and was awarded a contract worth $80 million from the Coalition Provisional Authority. Despite this many of their local guards receive only $4 a day, with most of the money going to British and South African supervisors.

Another banner was hung from the balcony above their entrance reading 'Mercenaries making a killing out of war'. Again people handed out fliers. However, shortly after the protest started a very hostile member of the diplomatic police started harassing protestors, but in particular a member of the press who was at the event taking photos. The diplomatic cop used threatening body language as well as verbal language and refused to adequately identify himself to the photographer. He only calmed down when the photographer produced the NUJ guidelines to show that he was indeed entitled to take the policeman's photo in a public space.

Soon after this a keystone cop moment ensued with a number of diplomatic police arriving as well as some special constables. They rushed along to the building and spent a couple of minutes inside the building hunting for the elusive protestors only for it to be pointed out by one of the staff that they left a few minutes ago and were 'heading in that direction'. Eventually the police caught up and stopped the group walking away.

The police then proceeded to perform stop and searches on several individuals, and then decided against all bounds of logic to arrest two people for burglary.

The protests happened to coincide with a day of action against the arms trade, which was called by Disarm DSEi, a group campaigning against the world's largest arms fair. More information can be found at  http://www.dsei.org

More information on Raytheon can be found at:  http://www.raytheon.co.uk
And on Erinys at either:  http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Erinys_International_Ltd
or:  http://www.erinysinternational.com/

edd
- e-mail: edd @ rnzine.co.uk

Additions

prisoner update

31.07.2007 10:15

the two prisoners were released last night on police bail after nearly 12 hours banged up.

tim spicer


Comments

Hide the following 4 comments

Out of order

01.08.2007 08:29

Hanging banners - fine
Speaking out - fine
Spreading the word - fine

Forcefully entering someones office - out of order

Whilst I support the freedom to protest when you feel strongly about an issue, I feel that using force to enter an office and effectively terrorising those inside is nothing short of mindless hypocrytical behaviour for which I hope those responsible will be ashamed of.

Robert Henshaw
mail e-mail: robhenshaw2000@yahoo.com


Force

01.08.2007 10:36

"using force to enter an office and effectively terrorising those inside is nothing short of mindless hypocrytical behaviour for which I hope those responsible will be ashamed of."

How you can equate pushing on an open office door with the lethal force that these corporations use on a daily basis is absurd.

Try opening a door without using force!

F=ma

Reality Check


more indytrolls

01.08.2007 17:23

He must be some liberal tosser, or maybe another indytroll, whichever, a full on wanker. What you doing reading Indymedia, Robert? Get back to your poncey Gruaniad or Mail. I think they're getting off lightly you dickhead.

destroythesqmile


Dear Robert....

01.08.2007 21:12

"Hanging banners - fine
Speaking out - fine
Spreading the word - fine"

And I expect being ignored while you look like a pussy is fine too?

Even Jesus Christ smashed things up in the temple....

I have nothing but admiration for these guys. While the yoghurt-weavers have conferences and rhetoric, this lot had direct action. Companies like Raytheon, Erinys, ArmorGroup et al need to feel us like a thorn in their almighty, Kevlar-guarded sides.

Dow Jones