There are now a few local contacts available in other parts of the country, so get in touch with them if you live in the area and want to coordinate transport to the weapons inspection on the 16th:

London:  hammertime@london.dsei.org

Bristol:  smashedobristol@riseup.net

Manchester:  manchesteragainstmilitarism@gmail.com

Swansea:  d@undercurrents.org

If you're likely to need crash space for the demo email us to let us know.

Things coming up

TODAY (July 4th): Critial Mass bike ride to the factory for a special 4th of July 'Independence from American arms comanies' noise demo. Meet 3pm at the Level or, if you don't have a bike, go straight to the factory for 4.

Saturday July 7th: Smash EDO benefit at the Cowley Club, 12 London Rd, fr 7.30, £4 Donation. With Matt Black and the Emulsions, plus reggae/Dub DJ set from MA Quest and anti-G8 film screenings to get us in the mood for the 'building resistance to the G8' convergence (see below)

Sunday 8th: Smash EDO benefit BBQ at the Cowley Club from 2pm.

Wednesday July 11th: Noise demo at EDO, 4-6.

Wednesday July 11th: 6.30 at the Cowley Club. Open meeting to plan the weapons inspection on the 16th.

Sunday the 15th: Convergence to build resistance against next year's G8 in the UK. At Community Base, Brighton. Let us know if your group want to endorse the callout (see below)

PRESS RELEASE ABOUT THE JULY 16TH WEAPONS INSPECTION OF EDO/ITT:

Press Release – Smash EDO Citizens’ Weapons Inspection of EDO MBM On Monday 16th July 2012 at 1pm a group of concerned citizens from Brighton and beyond will be attempting to inspect the EDO MBM factory in Moulsecoomb to further highlight the factory’s complicity in the murder of innocent civilians around the world.

It has long been known that this local company has links with illegal and immoral arms deals and Smash EDO intend to hold them to account. Indeed a team broke in and successfully decommissioned the factory in January 2009 and then waited to be arrested by the police. At their later trial it was found that their actions were entirely legal which totally undermines the company’s insistence that they operate within English Law.

The two previous inspection attempts have resulted in stiff resistance from Sussex Police, who have refused to investigate war crimes being committed by the company.

This mass action is part of an ongoing “Summer of Resistance” which has seen almost daily actions by protesters against the factory in May and June and which will continue until the end of July.

Protester Howard Stone said “It seems every day we hear of attacks on civilians by fighter jets and drones around the world and I do not find it acceptable that parts to facilitate this are made in my neighbourhood”. SmashEDO wish it to be known that other events that may happen to be taking place in the city that day are of no interest to the group. Our intention is, as ever, only to disrupt the Arms Industry and those who support its continued existence.



CALLOUT ABOUT THE G8 CONVERGENCE:

This is a call for all of those who wish to mobilise for a MASS MOBILISATION against the G8 summit in the UK in 2013. A initial meeting will take place on SUNDAY the 15th JULY, from 11am to 6pm, at the COMMUNITY BASE centre in Brighton, hosted by people from the Smash EDO campaign.

In 2013 the UK is once again host to the G8 Summit. That means that, for the first time since 2005, the leaders of eight of the world's most powerful capitalist nations will meet in the UK.

We believe that there is an urgent need to oppose the G8, which acts as a facilitator of irresponsible greed, overwhelming inequality and ruthless exploitation of people and natural resources.

The priorities of the G8, as always, will be the protection of corporate interest, and the vast profits that are made from economic crisis as well as economic boom. It is here, at the G8 summit, that the economic, political and military objectives for the year ahead will be discussed and agreed, setting a framework for trade liberalisation (privatisation) and fiscal responsibility (spending cuts). It is here, at the G8 summit, that the policy of the US/UK and EU towards the oppression of peoples, and the militarisation of borders will be developed. It is here, at the G8 summit, that these self-appointed leaders of capitalism will act to assert their control of natural resources, no matter what the cost to people and the environment.

The fight against austerity, inequality and exploitation must be fought on all fronts but the resistance must start here, at the top, where the big decisions are taken and the key allegiances are formed. They must not be permitted to meet here unimpeded, and must be made to understand that wherever they meet, wherever they go, they will be opposed and resisted.

WE ARE MANY, THEY ARE FEW. AND WE ARE EVERYWHERE.

Please note: The meeting will operate on a NON-HIERARCHICAL basis, with a RESPECT FOR DIVERSITY OF TACTICS. As this is a planning meeting, it is NOT OPEN to JOURNALISTS or COPS, who are politely requested not to attend.