“We are the market leader in obtaining ground breaking injunctions on behalf of individuals and corporations who have been the subject of harassment by direct action protests groups.” Law Firm Lawson-Cruttenden’s website
“I don’t have a problem with people coming here to protest - it’s a democracy” David Jones Managing Director EDO/MBM 8th March 2004
“We felt that after the blatant illegality of the war in Iraq that it was time that discontent over the way that the arms trade fuels conflict around the world was brought back to the factory floor”- SMASH EDO leaflet
You what? A company which proudly boasts of its expertise in the delivery of laser guided bombs is complaining about noise, damage and harassment. Can it be the cases that people thick skinned enough to make money from the slaughter of Iraqi civilians are genuinely upset about a demonstration on their own doorstep? Surely this must be joke. But no, oblivious to irony, Brighton’s favourite warmongers EDO/MBM Technologies Ltd are seeking an injunction under the Prevention of Harassment Act 1997 to restrain anti-war activists from protesting outside their HQ and factory on Home Farm Rd, Moulsecoomb Brighton. Thirteen individuals and two organisations SMASH EDO and BOMBS OUT OF BRIGHTON are named on the summons to the High Court on April 14th.
An unholy trinity consisting of an international arms dealer, an ex-military solicitor and Sussex Police are conspiring to make protest virtually illegal in a large area of Brighton.
Here’s how it works. After a year long campaign involving rooftop protests, road blockades, noise demos and weekly vigils all aimed at drawing attention to what EDO were actually doing inside their anonymous green building, EDO were persuaded by Sussex Police to enlist the services of lawyer Timothy Lawson Cruttenden. Cruttenden’s specialty is the use of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 (originally framed to protect the public from stalkers) to protect those with deep pockets and guilty secrets. Money changes hands, an “exclusion zone” is created and a form of martial law is introduced.
Cruttenden (or TLC as he is affectionately known) is infamous among animal rights activists (see SchNEWS 471), having managed to gain draconian anti-protest injunctions against SPEAC and SHAC on behalf of Oxford University and Huntingdon Life Sciences. One activist involved in the legal battles told SchNEWS “The reason the police and corporations are so keen on these injunctions is that an “interim injunction” with the full force of the law behind it can be granted at an early stage with the court requiring a very low standard of proof. The police then use the injunctions as a tool for arrest, search and general harassment”. Injunctions under the Protection from Harassment Act, unlike civil injunctions, create powers of arrest, which explains why Sussex Police are so keen on getting one. The proposed exclusion zone would effectively make any protesters, including for example the local Quakers, at the factory liable to arrest.
If the interim injunction against Smash Edo is granted (and judging by past cases there’s no reason it won’t be) activists will only be able to protest for two and a half hours on Thursday afternoons, providing there are less than ten of them and they make no “artificial or musical noise or use anything to amplify sound”. Although the injunction singles out SMASH EDO its scope broadens to anyone acting as an “agent” or “in concert” with them basically including everyone whose opinion runs counter to the arms trade.
BANGERS ‘n’ SMASH EDO
People in the animal liberation movement have often warned that powers used against them are certain to be used elsewhere. The message is clear. When a campaign becomes successful and starts to challenge the capitalist status quo it gets made illegal. These injunctions favour the rich and powerful and have the potential to be used against anyone fighting a corporation. Anyone who is challenging a local phone-mast or bypass or is involved in union activity should beware. SMASH EDO aren’t being targeted because they’re an extremist minority (in fact their attitude to the Iraq war puts them in the majority in Brighton); or because of allegations of criminal damage! And home demos! They’re being targeted because they’re bringing unwelcome attention to and obstructing the profits of a major defence contractor.
The British economy is peculiarly skewed towards arms production. The world’s fifth largest economy is its second biggest arms producer. The UK government heavily subsidises arms production (each job in the defence industry is calculated to be underwritten to the tune of £14,000pa). SMASH EDO are directly challenging the logic of taking resources from the community here to subsidise the bombing of communities elsewhere.
EDO/MBMs parent company the gigantic US EDO Corp is a classic example of the revolving door between the British state and defence corporations. Its board of directors includes Sir Robert Walmsley ex Chief Procurement Officer for the MOD (he retired in 2003). Busy Sir Bob also finds time to be a director of US arms firm General Dynamics who were awarded a £2bn contract to build radios for the British Army in his last two years at the MOD. In another astounding co-incidence, shortly before Sir Bob joined EDO UK as Chairman of the Board they got a £1.2 m contract for components for the ill-fated Eurofighter project. It’s hardly surprising that, with friends like these, EDO can rely on police protection. In fact Sussex Police have spent over £30,000 protecting EDO so far.
SMASH EDO activists are determined to fight the injunction. Lorna Marcham, one of those named on the summons said “We need attention drawn to the perversion of the law that is taking place with these injunctions and we will need funds to fight the court battle if we don’t receive legal aid. We are the first non-animal rights group to be targeted in this way and it is clear that if this injunction is granted it will be another nail in the coffin of peaceful dissent in this country. It’s us now but it could be you soon.”
* Monday 11TH April Public meeting, Brighthelm Centre, North Rd 7.30pm
* Wed 13TH APRIL Mass Demonstration 2pm - for the right of freedom of speech and freedom of assembly outside EDO/MBM’s HQ in Brighton at 2pm and Rally, 5.30pm Churchill Square, Brighton
* Thur 14TH 9am Supporters Rally outside High Court www.smashedo.bpec.org
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