During January 2009 1400 Palestinians, including over 300 children, were killed by the Israeli military in what is widely recognid\sed as a war crime.

People all over the world watched in horror and took to the streets in protest at Israel's disregard for human life. At the same time corporations were raking in the profits from the massacre of Gaza's civilians. Barclays was one of them...

Barclays Banks are the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) market maker for ITT Corporation. ITT Corporation own arms manufacturer, EDO MBM/ITT inBrighton. EDO manufacture equipment to interface between fighter aircraft and the bombs that were dropped in Gaza. In January 2009 Amnesty International found fragments of a MK-82 bomb, EDO MBM/ITT make components for use with this bomb and supply them to US arms companies

A 'Remember Gaza - Target Barclays' flyer is downloadable to use on local demonstration -just go to www.smashedo.org.uk/target-barclays.html

NOTES:

Barclays Banks are the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) market maker for ITT Corporation. ITT Corporation own EDO MBM/ITT in Brighton.

There has been a five year long campaign of direct action against EDO MBM/ITT aimed at persuading them to stop producing weapons components in Brighton. EDO's components are used by the US and UK in Iraq and Afghanistan and Israel in Palestine.

As ITT’s market maker, Barclays act as a ‘middle man’, purchasing shares from a seller and holding them until such a time as a buyer becomes available. This ensures the stability of ITT’s share price by allowing shareholders to sell off their assets at any time, even when a a buyer is not immediately available, and vice versa. Barclays also profits from this enterprise by selling ITT’s shares at a small markup, which nevertheless generates a considerable income when spread across large sales.

For more information on 'market makers' click here.

Smash EDO are calling for autonomous actions against Barclays Bank to force them to stop providing 'market maker' services for ITT Corporation on the NYSE. By performing marker services for ITT Barclays Bank are profiting from EDO's complicity in civilian deaths in Palestine, Afghanistan and Iraq. Barclays are the largest UK investor in the global arms trade. Bankers and institutional investors are the glue that finances the state terror wreaked by the arms trade. Companies like EDO do not operate in a vacuum but are propped up by the networks of corporations and investors which constitute the global capitalist system which puts profit before peace, greed before people.

Barclays are the largest UK investor in the arms trade. For more information on Barclays Bank's arms trade investments see War on Want's report, 'Banking on Bloodshed'

For other details see Smash Edo's news page or email  smashedo@riseup.net You can report your actions (securely) at www.indymedia.org.uk

Report of the Day of Action against Barclays to launch the Target Barclays campaign

On Saturday 28th November actions took place in Brighton, Wrexham, Falmouth and Cambridge to mark the campaign launch.

A large demonstration was held in Brighton, thousands of leaflets were handed out, two Barclays Customers, after reading the leaflet, agreed to close their accounts and a letter was handed in to the branch manager. The branch was guarded by a heavy police presence and private security, drafted in for the day, from the "Professional Witness Service".

In Cambridge anonymous campaigners scaled scaffolding above a Barclays branch and carved 'Barclays - £7bn invested in arms' in 6 foot letters in tarpaulin. The message was still there the following day.

Hastings against the War also braved torrential rain to let their branch know that the campaign had begun by leafleting outside their local branch.

In Falmouth campaigners from Kernow Action Now (KAN) demonstrated outside their local Barclays.

In Wrexham the new branch of Barclays was picketed. Police also stood guard outside the Falmouth and Truro branches of Barclays.

Smash EDO are calling for groups to take autonomous actions against Barclays until Barclays cease providing market Maker services to ITT.

For more info about the Target Barclays campaign read Indymedia's 'Antimilitarists Take on Barclays' - c