According to one witness computers, filing cabinets as well as missiles were hurled out of top floor windows as a group of protesters broke in to the factory in the early hours staging a “citizen's decommissioning” of the EDO-MBM/ITT arms factory in direct response to the killings of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip by the Israeli military.

The activists barricaded themselves into the factory on Home Farm Rd, Moulsecoombe. Eventually 30 police arrived and they were arrested.

Elijah Smith, one of the protesters that broke into the factory, said
“I'm looking at the world scene and I'm getting more and more horrified. I've been looking at the law and I don't feel I'm going to do anything illegal tonight, but I'm going to go into an arms factory and smash it up to the best of my ability so that it cannot actually work or produce munitions and these very dirty bombs that have been provided to the Israeli army so that they can kill children. The time for talking has gone too far. I'm not a writer, I'm just a person from the community and I'm deeply disgusted.”

There have been a total of 9 arrests.

Eight people have been charged with causing £250 000 of criminal damage and with burglary, one person has been released on police bail. Five people were bailed after a hearing at Brighton Magistrate's Court. Three were remanded to Lewes Prison. One person was granted bail after an appeal.

Two people remain on remand. Please send letters of support to:

Elijah Smith Prisoner no VP7551
Robert Alford VP7552
HMP Lewes
1 Brighton Road
Lewes
East Sussex
BN7 1EA

A support campaign has been set up - see  http://www.decommisioners.wordpress.com and please sign our petition at  http://www.petitiononline.com/edombm69/petition.html. As well as the campaign website www.smashedo.org.uk

“If you hear the sound of a child being brutalised in the house next door and you rush in to smash the door down and save the child, should you be charged with breaking and entering? Obviously not.” Eamonn McCann of the Raytheon 9.