Mayday Mayday Brighton Smash EDO protest

Chief Supt Graham Bartlett's released statement on the protest claimed:

Unjustified acts of violence aimed at premises and police officers, with some officers receiving minor injuries.
Members of public being intimidated by a small minority of the group who have been verbally abusive,
Missiles thrown at police. A member of public was struck in the face by a missile and treated by a police medical team.

Paint being thrown at and daubed on a number of premises a boutique window in Market Street broken and other reports of wanton criminal damage taking place.

By 7.40pm, three arrests had been made - for assaulting a police officer, obstructing police and criminal damage. Investigations continue into other offences that have occurred

I didn’t see many residents of the Fiveways area in fear of the protesters; on the contrary, it was the aggressive Police presence that intimidated. Scores of vans, driving pell mell through Brighton, with blue lights flashing and sirens blaring here there and everywhere rapidly disgorging vast crowds of police with helmets, batons and shields – I’d say helmets, batons, shields and Police have the power to intimidate people rather more so than demonstrators!

Interesting to note that the shoppers around Iceland and McDonald’s in London Rd, who were touted as fleeing the ‘mob violence’ as trouble flared, are on quote saying that, they were acting in response to a rumor that the police were using tear gas

In all it was quite an eventful Day. I joined the march moved up Old Steine from the Pier towards North Street. Three men climbed the Barclays North Street branch scaffolding and hung an ‘Arms Dealers Out Of Brighton’ banner applauded by the ‘Bodyshop’ workers who’s shop faced the bank as well as passing shoppers
The climbers safely descended and became lost amongst the crowd of the waiting Demonstration

The Crowd crushed through the tunnel by Trafalgar Street Station and moved up London Rd. There someone threw a firework under a Police Van resulting in clashes between police and protesters adjacent to the McDonald's restaurant. A large section of the Demonstration headed up Preston Circus and diverted to Ditchling Road where the route was blocked by a line of Police backed by a contingent of mounted Cops

Despite demonstrators having a (life size) Plastic or fiberglass car which had been used earlier in the demo with success to bump through police lines, it was clear at this particular interface it had reached its tactical limitations, worse it had a fatal design flaw which meant it could not negotiate the high hilly terrain of Ditchling Rise (no brakes or suchlike) Its manual operators (those pushing) lost their grip and it sped ever on downwards in reverse eventually coming to rest two thirds the way down the hill against a wall, where the designers were castigated by a citizen with children for their lack of forethought!

The march then diverted via either Ditchling Rise or top end of London Rd to Preston Rd and on to Preston Park, where a contingent of the demonstrators encamped Making my way back into Brighton via Preston Circus/London Rd. I bypassed and missed the confrontation that happened in Trafalgar Street, eventually gathering with the protesters on the land around St Peter's Church where a couple of sound systems were playing for over an hour or so. It seemed to me there was an attempt by the cops to kettle the demonstrators and was also probably apparent to the demonstrators, because eventually it became noticeable the crowd had dissipated markedly, they had reformed at the Pier to continue the protest, where I stayed till about 5pm.

I really did not see as much that has been reported in

 http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/4340279.Liveblog__Brighton_Smash_EDO_protest/

So can’t comment on such claims

The EDO estimate of 2,000 demonstrators was more realistic than Sussex police’s laughable estimate of 500 I have to say though; the cops seemed to be more media savvy than usual.

Synopsis of EDO protests since 2004. Court cases dropped because of alleged Sussex Police collusion with EDO MBM - Sales to the Israel defense forces - Detailed criticism in the United States of the Corporation - EDO MBM and UN Peace Messenger City Brighton and Hove

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_EDO_Corporation

Photos Copyright Stalingrad O'Neill - permission is required for third party usage