Anti-arms Campaigners remember War Victims outside EDO/ITT for Remembrance Day
Geoffrey Straw | 11.11.2008 12:43 | Anti-militarism | Iraq | Palestine
On the 11th of November a group of Sussex students and local activists gathered outside the gates of Brighton’s local bomb factory, laden with flowers and wreaths. 25-30 demonstrators placed the flowers outside the open gates at 11am and held a 2 minute silence to remember all those who have died because of war.
The demonstation was to highlight EDO/ITT’s complicity in the deaths of thousands of civilians in Palestine, Iraq, Somalia and Afghanistan, whilst also remembering ITT’s involvement in supplying arms to Hitler and their involvement in World War II.
At least 15 police turned up to ‘monitor’ the demonstration, including an EG-Team, who followed students from Sussex campus as they walked to the factory. The two minute silence was disrupted by police as demonstrators stood in the entrance to the factory. Police accused demonstrators of ‘Obstruction of the Highway’ and attempted to move them on, despite the road being clear and no vehicles entering the factory. As the demonstrators retreated, PC Sean McDonald informed everyone that the flowers would be removed if not placed on the pavement outside the factory. Demonstrators moved the flowers onto the pavement, and hung wreaths on the fence of the factory. Managing director Paul Hills personally came to remove the wreaths from the fence twice, as they were touching EDO/ITT’s property.
Demonstrators then enjoyed the sunshine and cups of tea whilst speeches were made on the megaphone to workers of the factory.
Notes for Journalists
The Company
EDO-MBM Technologies Ltd were the sole U.K. subsidiary of huge U.S. weapons
manufacturer EDO Corp.From their base in Moulescoombe Brighton, EDO-MBM
manufacture vital parts for the Hellfire and Paveway weapons
systems, laserguided missiles used extensively in Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine
and Somalia. EDO Corp were recently acquired by ITT in a multi-billion
pound deal. ITT's links to fascism go back to the 1930s. The founder
Sosthenes Behn was the first foreign businessman received by Hitler after
his seizure of power.
At least 15 police turned up to ‘monitor’ the demonstration, including an EG-Team, who followed students from Sussex campus as they walked to the factory. The two minute silence was disrupted by police as demonstrators stood in the entrance to the factory. Police accused demonstrators of ‘Obstruction of the Highway’ and attempted to move them on, despite the road being clear and no vehicles entering the factory. As the demonstrators retreated, PC Sean McDonald informed everyone that the flowers would be removed if not placed on the pavement outside the factory. Demonstrators moved the flowers onto the pavement, and hung wreaths on the fence of the factory. Managing director Paul Hills personally came to remove the wreaths from the fence twice, as they were touching EDO/ITT’s property.
Demonstrators then enjoyed the sunshine and cups of tea whilst speeches were made on the megaphone to workers of the factory.
Notes for Journalists
The Company
EDO-MBM Technologies Ltd were the sole U.K. subsidiary of huge U.S. weapons
manufacturer EDO Corp.From their base in Moulescoombe Brighton, EDO-MBM
manufacture vital parts for the Hellfire and Paveway weapons
systems, laserguided missiles used extensively in Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine
and Somalia. EDO Corp were recently acquired by ITT in a multi-billion
pound deal. ITT's links to fascism go back to the 1930s. The founder
Sosthenes Behn was the first foreign businessman received by Hitler after
his seizure of power.
Geoffrey Straw
e-mail:
studentsagainstthearmstrade@lists.riseup.net