Smash EDO target map creates story angle for desperate journalist
x | 27.04.2009 23:42 | Smash EDO | South Coast
Following this morning's printing by the Argus of the story of sussex police being told to be good little police officers at the upcoming may day event in Brighton they have decided to have a go at Smash EDO just to restore the status quo.
http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/4324472.Protesters_produce_map_of_Brighton_targets_for_May_Day_action/
http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/4324472.Protesters_produce_map_of_Brighton_targets_for_May_Day_action/
McDonald's and banks among those implicated by anti-war group
10:30pm Monday 27th April 2009
Comments (7) Have your say »
By Naomi Loomes »
Protesters have drawn up a list of banks and companies they will target during an anti-arms trade protest next week.
Thousands of demonstrators are planning to descend on Brighton and Hove during the May Bank Holiday for what they describe as a “mass street party against, war, greed and militarism”.
The protest was originally planned as part of an ongoing campaign against EDO MBM/ITT, the factory on Home Farm Road in Moulsecoomb, which makes arms components.
But since the G20 events in London, increasing numbers of anarchist and anti-capitalist groups from around Britain have been planning to widen the scope of the demonstration.
This week the group behind the protest, Smash EDO, have published a map of 35 city centre businesses they say have supplied or invested in ITT, including McDonald’s, American Express, BP and Barclays Bank.
Transport to Brighton is already being organised from a number of cities, including Bath, Bristol, Cardiff, Hereford and Sheffield.
Among the list of premises on the handout, entitled “Anti-militarist map of Brighton” are the city’s police stations and Brighton and Hove City Council’s town halls in Bartholomew Square, Brighton, and Church Road, Hove.
Smash EDO claims the council refused to table a motion on whether EDO MBM/ITT should operate in the city because it was “not of interest” to local people.
They have also listed DHL Express in Newtown Road in Hove which they say delivers military components to the EDO factory.
Smash EDO organiser Andrew Beckett said the protest would be its biggest yet and the map had supplied demonstrators with a list of possible targets. He said: “This is a list of targets in the sense of places people could protest about but it doesn’t mean we will be going there and storming the buildings.
“There will be splinter groups that can go and do whatever they want. We can’t control them.
“This is a possible list of targets for police so they can get on and police them if they want to – that’s their job.”
Police and businesses are bracing themselves for organised attempts to bring the city centre to a standstill.
Ted Kemble, council cabinet member for business and enterprise said: “I won’t condone wanton violence on any business trying to go about their daily work.”
Sussex Police have warned organisers they will not allow the city to suffer the disruption witnessed in the G20 protests.
Chief Superintendent Cliff Parrott said: “We are not expecting the event to be confrontational. However, we are keen to speak with the organisers to discuss their intentions and how it can take place effectively while minimising disruption.”
A police spokeswoman said there would be a police presence from early in the day and officers would be looking for ringleaders to try to ensure the event passed peacefully.
She refused to say if police spotters who have been known to photograph protests and rallies would attend the march.
The spokeswoman confirmed that the police would not be turning protesters away from the city.
Among those expected to take part in the demo is former Page Three girl turned Liberal Democrat councillor Marina Pepper. Nicola Fisher, hit with a baton at the G20 protests, is also expected to attend.
The day of action will begin with hundreds of cyclists from the Critical Mass movement staging a slow parade outside Brighton station.
A street party will be staged in the city centre but details of the protest are being kept secret.
McDonald’s said: “We will take any and all necessary steps to protect the welfare of our customers and staff.” An American Express spokeswoman said the firm would be keeping an eye on the situation.
Brighton and Hove Council declined to comment about being a target.
THE ANTI-MILITARIST LIST OF PROTEST TARGETS
● EDO MBM/ITT factory
● Thales E-Security
● Branches of Barclays, HSBC, RBOS/Halifax and LloydsTSB
● American Express
● BP petrol stations
● McDonald’s restaurants
● DHL Express
● London and Brighton Plating Company
● The Army recruitment office
● Police stations
● Brighton and Hove City Council town halls
x
Comments
Hide the following 18 comments
"have a go"
28.04.2009 09:15
You accuse the journalist of wanting to "have a go at Smash EDO".
What, precisely, did they get wrong in their article, which quoted Smash EDO prominently and at length? Are you just miffed that they saw your map?
This is typical. Posters come on here saying "We're going to bring X city to a standstill!". A paper reports "protesters want to bring city to standstill". Posters return to say "How dare the mainstream press say we want to bring the city to a standstill". The protest takes place. Posters return again to say "We brought the city to a standstill!" And the cycle starts once again...
Norvello
i agree
28.04.2009 12:07
A while ago some posters were complaining that the Evening Standard had wrote that protestors planned to smash up the banks at G20. "How dare they!"
When in fact, there were protestors saying this, they were holding banners saying the same and they did attack the banks.
What the posters want is that the media don't write anything until after the event. And they also want the media to only write positive things about them and if possible, only bad things about everyone else. Basically, if you put a protestor in charge of censoring - we'd live in a very blinkered world.
Lord Lake Wanaka
Oh come Norvello
28.04.2009 12:25
And, whose interest does that serve to be laying the tracks for a heavy-handed police presence after making a public display of "wanting restraint": First seem like you are bending over backwards THEN make it look like Smash EDO are hellbent on violence; serving up the perfect excuse to stick the boot in or to deliberately escalate the situation as per usual.
Only a copper, or a gullible fool who has never left them airmchair, could read it any differently.
Norman Tebbit
Fraid not
28.04.2009 13:30
Compare two articles on Indymedia about the Smash EDO event.
The one above, a repost from the Argus, explained what Smash EDO was about and what the organisers hoped would happen on the day. It noted that the event was being held ‘for what they describe as a “mass street party against, war, greed and militarism”' adding 'The protest was originally planned as part of an ongoing campaign against EDO MBM/ITT, the factory on Home Farm Road in Moulsecoomb, which makes arms components'.
Right. Now look up the one of the previous posts on Indymedia about the event. It states: "Come dance, fight and remember the victims of ITT."
The one from the protesters suggests it's a good event for a fight. The one from the mainstream media doesn't. Which is the "stitch-up" that paints the protesters in the worst light, Lord Tebbit?
I'm all for taking the piss out local and national mainstream media - when there's cause. But this knee-jerk stuff looks very silly, especially when so many of the most informative postings on here are just reposts of MSM.
Norvello
'Fraid so Det. Norvello
28.04.2009 14:12
Funny how they are calling it a street party, not a riot and asking people to "BRING PASSION, DRUMS, SOUND SYSTEMS" as opposed to "bottles, bricks and petrol bombs".
You that desperate for an excuse now post G20?
If you want to try to blend in and seem to really dissent from within, slagging off everything but the corporate reposts is going make you look like nothing more than the slimy little psyop you are.
Please take this note to your commanding officer/ section head and return with a signature:
Could try harder.
Norman Tebbit
Again, what was wrong with the piece>
28.04.2009 15:38
The Argus describes it as a demonstration and street party - you accuse them of trying to hype it up into a violent event. On the other hand if Smash EDO says "fight", they get the benefit of the doubt. Noone mentioned petrol bombs.
The question I asked originally is why are you accusing this person of "having a go" at Smash EDO when they've been, it seems, surprisingly fair. Take this quote here:
Smash EDO organiser Andrew Beckett said the protest would be its biggest yet and the map had supplied demonstrators with a list of possible targets. He said: “This is a list of targets in the sense of places people could protest about but it doesn’t mean we will be going there and storming the buildings.
“There will be splinter groups that can go and do whatever they want. We can’t control them.
“This is a possible list of targets for police so they can get on and police them if they want to – that’s their job.”
So it's a have your cake and it scenario. Smash EDO posts a map of "targets" on the web where "splinter groups" can see it. If anyone says that it is "targetting" the places itself it'll whimper "Oh, no, we were just trying to help the police protect McDonald's from the nasty men...". In which case maybe they should have given it directly to the police rather than sticking it on the internet.
Norvello
Hypocrisy in action
28.04.2009 15:50
The Argus describes it as a demonstration and street party - you accuse them of trying to imply that it will be a fight. On the other hand if Smash EDO says "fight", they obviously mean it's a demonstration. There's double standards here.
The question I asked originally is why are you accusing this person of "having a go" at Smash EDO when they've been, it seems, surprisingly fair. Take this quote here:
Smash EDO organiser Andrew Beckett said the protest would be its biggest yet and the map had supplied demonstrators with a list of possible targets. He said: “This is a list of targets in the sense of places people could protest about but it doesn’t mean we will be going there and storming the buildings.
“There will be splinter groups that can go and do whatever they want. We can’t control them.
“This is a possible list of targets for police so they can get on and police them if they want to – that’s their job.”
So it's a have your cake and it scenario. Smash EDO posts a map of "targets" on the web where "splinter groups" can see it. If anyone says that it is "targetting" the places itself it whimpers "Oh, no, we were just trying to help the police protect McDonald's from the nasty men...". In which case maybe they should have given it directly to the police rather than sticking it on the internet.
Norvello
front page
28.04.2009 16:22
publicity which smash edo could never afford to pay for, always best to take press quotes as unreliable though so dont believe everything you read about what people mayhave said
The idea that the map is to help the police seems kind of funny to me.
ab
The Black Bloc goes Oncology
28.04.2009 16:41
Dawkins masks up for a ruck?
Give us a fucking break please!!!
It called 'exploiting ambiguity'. And it's the saddest trick in the book.
So the local plod and hacks (of which I assume you are one or other) are used to dealing with Smash EDO and the people who come in from outside in support; who know that normally they can expect a peaceful demo with a lot of noise, and occasionally some specifically targetted property damage... all of a sudden they decide that they are to expect the locust plague meets Stalingrad.
It'd be hilarious if it weren't so pathetic.
Now, you'll have to help me here with how you think Andrew Beckett has been a bad boy or porven your case and not mine. Because as an anarchist all I can see is someone being frank. I'm guessing it's the splinter groups" you are alluding to...
Smash EDO have thrown a party. They haven't "organised" anyone other than themselves. And even if the people who are likely to respond weren't anarchist/anti-authoritarian/non-hierarchical/libertarians and could give a fart if Beckett called himself the Messiah... LOGICALLY no person can guarantee that some people will not turn up with violent agenda (though it seems usually a good bet the police will turn up looking for trouble and hell-bent on creating it).
Andrew Beckett can no more guarantee there will be no trouble anymore than Michael Jackson could guarantee that anyone could get mugged at his gigs.
Sorry, I obviously overestimated your rank constable.
Norman Tebbit
haha
28.04.2009 20:38
Try to infer that everyone is a secret policeman in an effort to cause mistrust and infighting.
I got your game Norman! If your criticising some and calling them a copper, then you must be the copper sunshine.You've been caught!
rex anomynium lioncourt
Double double double bluff???
28.04.2009 21:21
I guess I must be trying to divide and rule that massive faction of anti-militarist activists that support the Argus's inferences???
As opposed to letting them get on with giving them a public slagging???
You obviously aren't Columbo.
Norman Tebbit
i don't talk to coppers
28.04.2009 22:10
rex anomynium lioncourt
Wow!
28.04.2009 22:44
Norman Tebbit
Michael Jackson
29.04.2009 12:02
My point stands. The original post accuses the article of being a stitch-up. You've not provided any evidence that it is.
I made the point about the "fight" line, as I've said before, just to make it clear that there was no more inference of a fight in the Argus piece than there was in Smash EDOs. You want to get into a further discussion about semantics? Fine. There's a difference between saying you are going to fight something (ie "fight cancer", one of the examples above) and saying you like to go to clubs to "dance and fight". Happy to explain the difference between transitive and intransitive uses of verbs if that will clear it up for you.
As for the Andrew Beckett stuff, you write. "Andrew Beckett can no more guarantee there will be no trouble anymore than Michael Jackson could guarantee that anyone could get mugged at his gigs."
If Michael Jackson starting posting maps of London on the internet saying "Here's are some really good places to mug people and, you know, maybe kidnap some small kids when my concert is on" questions would be asked. Even if Michael Jackson then turned round and said "Oh - no - I just wanted to help the police prevent muggings and kidnappings" it would still seem mighty weird and disingenuous.
Norvello
Fight (tr.) vs (intr.)
29.04.2009 12:44
Q. How do you parse a verb that can be both in/transitive when there is no object?
A. The answer is of course that you can't unless you having compelling context to indicate an natural, diectic elision.
And in this case, you have no compelling context. So (and anyone could) you have to offer at best is a prejudice.
Michael Jackson:
Except that Beckett never published a map and said "there are great locations to go and have a fight", did he?
So therefore the assertion is 100% unqualified mis/interpretation.
Therefore= stitch up
Norman Tebbit
In fact...
29.04.2009 13:07
It can equally be as figurative intransitively: see example 8
So, the absence of a visible object infers nothing.
Norman Tebbit
Nope
29.04.2009 14:01
Andy Beckett and co produced a map of what he described as "targets" in the city, organisations that could be targetted by the protests. These won't necessarily be violent, though he said there was a possibility that splinter groups might turn violent. He, as he said, had no control over that and and added that the map might be handy for the police.
Which is what the Argus reported.
So we're back to square one. What exactly was wrong with misleading about the original article again? Still no decent answer, dozens of posts later.
(By way of peace offering on this, I thought the Telegraph article on the same event *was* out of order.)
Norvello
Moving 'targets' or just goalposts?
29.04.2009 14:53
And back to telling lies? Becket doesn't say 'violence'. You sure you aren't the original author of the Argus piece?
Violence is mentioned by the councillor following as clearly indicated.
Here is exactly what the article claims Beckett said:
//He said: “This is a list of targets in the sense of places people could protest about but it doesn’t mean we will be going there and storming the buildings.
“There will be splinter groups that can go and do whatever they want. We can’t control them. //
Now I don't think it's too fantastic an assumption to make that the new line with new opening quotes indicates Beckett's line about 'splinter groups' is a response to a question that hasn't been included in the copy.
You do however seem keen to gloss over the journalists avoidable choice of negative connotations (emotive trigger words):
implicated
target
descend
claims
warned
ringleaders
Page Three girl turned Liberal Democrat
Given that Smash EDO haven't promoted violence (unless you are a budding linguist who can't parse) then these following comments are also setting a tone that doesn't reflect the facts, either withon or without the text itself.
I can't even find any reference from Smash EDO saying they plan to shut down Brighton either:
Police and businesses are bracing themselves for organised attempts to bring the city centre to a standstill.
“I won’t condone wanton violence on any business trying to go about their daily work.”
“We will take any and all necessary steps to protect the welfare of our customers and staff.”
So, basically we seem to have a clear choice of shrill vocab, selective editing and responses reported to unknown questions, but seems fair to assume the journalists has been planting the idea of riot & blockade in their questions.
Thus= stitch up.
Where you going to push the goalposts next?
Norman Tebbit