http://www.smashedo.org.uk PRESS RELEASE
SATURDAY 30 TH APRIL 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE,
PRESS ENQUIRIES:Call Andrew on 07875 708873
smashedopress@yahoo.co.uk PROTESTING IS NOT HARRASSMENT!
Anti war campaigners won a major victory in the High Court yesterday
(Friday 29th April). Arms manufacturer EDO MBM had applied for an
injunction, under anti-stalking laws, to restrict protest outside their
Brighton factory. The order sought by the corporation would have created
an exclusion zone, where protests would only be allowed on Thursday
afternoons for two hours, with a maximum of 10 silent protestors.
The defendants refused to negotiate the terms of the injunction, in order
to avoid lending legitimacy to the proceedings. In stark contrast to the
demands of EDO, Judge Gross ruled that in the run up to the trial an
“interim” injunction would not restrict the timing, frequency, or numbers,
allowed on demonstrations. He threw out 11 of 15 draconian terms,
describing them at one point as 'using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.' In
explaining his refusal to impose most of the conditions Judge Gross said,
“Freedom of expression is a right jealously guarded in English law”.
However campaigners continue to insist that any use of the Protection from
Harassment Act 1997, (originally introduced to protect people from
stalking), is a gross violation of their civil liberties.
One of the defendants said afterwards, “EDO have made a great mistake in
bringing this action to court. Their contempt for human rights has been
exposed to the general public, and even at this stage of the trial, the
judge has effectively demolished their proposed exclusion zone. EDO are
proud of their role as spear carriers for an illegal war, but where is the
injunctive relief for the people of Iraq?”
Campaigners are looking forward to a swift trial, where they will expose
EDO's complicity in war crimes and Sussex Police’s attack on the right to
protest.
ANNOUNCEMENT
MASS DEMONSTRATION AGAINST EDO
WEDNESDAY 4th MAY 2005 at 4PM
(Entrance to Wild Park, Lewes Road, Brighton)
---------------------------------------------------------------
Notes for Journalists
http://www.smashedo.org.uk Press Inquiries: Andrew 0787 5708873
-----------------------------------------
Notes for Journalists
EDO MBM Technologies Ltd are the sole UK subsidiary of
huge U.S arms conglomerate EDO Corp, which was
recently named No. 10 in the Forbes list of 100
fastest growing companies. They supply bomb release
mechanisms to the US and UK armed forces amongst
others. They supply crucial components for Raytheon’s
Paveway IV guided bomb system, widely used in their Iraq War.
EDO Corp also supply parts to the Israeli Army.
Brighton & Hove is a UN Peace Messenger City.
People involved within the anti-EDO campaign include, but are not limited to:
local residents, the Brighton Quakers, peace
activists, anti-capitalists, Palestine Solidarity
groups, human rights groups, trade unionists,
academics and students.
EDO also recently withdrew a threatened libel action
against Indymedia over being named as “warmongers”.
The summons followed the acquittal of three activists
accused of aggravated trespass on EDO’s premises.
It is believed that the injunction served under the
1997 Protection from Harassment Act (originally
designed to protect women from stalkers) is the first of its kind directed
at activists outside of the animal rights movement.
Lawson-Cruttenden & Co, a solicitors firm have been
instrumental in the development of the Protection of
Harassment Act 1997 from a measure designed to
safeguard individuals to a corporate charter to make
inconvenient protest illegal. They have pioneered to
use of injunctions to create large “exclusion zones”.
They have secured numerous injunctions against
anti-vivisection and anti-GM protestors.
The Campaign against EDO MBM, People involved in the
anti-EDO campaign include, but are not limited to:
local residents, the Brighton Quakers, peace
activists, anti-capitalists, Palestine Solidarity
groups, human rights groups, trade unionists,
academics and students
_____________________________________
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guardian article
30.04.2005 22:05
According to today's Guardian we lost !!
What are these journalists on?
Is anyone going to write to the Press Complaints Commission?
=====================================================================================
Stalking law used against protesters
Laura Smith
Saturday April 30, 2005
The Guardian
A law designed to deter stalkers can be used to prevent anti-war activists from protesting outside a defence company, the high court ruled yesterday.
Mr Justice Gross granted a temporary injunction against a group of campaigners who are alleged to have targeted a Brighton-based company which manufactured weapons used in the Iraq war.
Nearly 160 employees at Edo MBM Technology claim they have been the victims of a hate campaign waged by the group and subjected to assault, intimidation and insults.
The injunction prevents the activists, who face legal action for their alleged campaign of unlawful harassment, from protesting within an exclusion zone around the plant in until the end of legal action against them.
David Jones, the managing director of the company, which specialises in designing weapons-carrying systems for military aircraft, ships and submarines, launched the legal action on behalf of his staff.
Mr Justice Gross said though the primary intention of the Protection from Harassment Act was to tackle the "phenomenon of stalking", it had been used in cases involving protesters. He said he could not accept the protesters' argument that there should be strict limits set on the use of the act.
green pixies of the organic revolution
media distortion and mind control
01.05.2005 14:45
Lying Bastards!
These mainstream media scumbags make you sick!!!
Anybody
screwed by our lawyers
01.05.2005 19:28
we were let down by our lawyers - thanx beth - everything you said came collapsing down around us on friday afternoon. even our barrister was making decisions without consulting us. ive said it before and will say it again, we activists have to take control of our own affairs. we cannot leave it to them. the fat cat lawyers allways win. all the lawyers have done very well out of this im sure, but have we?? spin it all you want but we lost and edo got an injunction.
democratic smash edo
"Anybody" writes:
02.05.2005 10:48
Well yes, but the meaning I got from the article when I first read it on Saturday was that Smash Edo won in court ("Anti war campaigners won a major victory in the High Court yesterday")
If the facts were "we were let down by our lawyers - thanx beth - everything you said came collapsing down around us on friday afternoon" then that should have been the text of the article.
I know the corporate press lie and present a one-sided view of events, but I see no reason why we should copy them.
puzzled
a victory
02.05.2005 15:52
However the battle for civil liberties did lose out on Friday - any further use of the Protection from Harassment against groups is another step toward the criminalisation of protest - its now punishable by 5 years in prison to send an 'offensive' letter to EDO Tech
edosmashnik
smash edo's new labour spin
02.05.2005 18:24
I am quite amazed and to tell the truth horrified at the smash edo press release- to read it you would think the warmongers lost it all in court and there was no injunction- I have copied and pasted the BBC news report below which may be closer to the truth - I cannot believe the new labour type spin on the anti war smash edo press release - it horrifies me that this is happening by our own indymedia news sources. Do they not realise this is what our own government and state machine does? Can someone from smash edo please explain what is going on ??
Exclusion zone for anti-war group
Anti-war activists have been hit with a temporary injunction, banning them from protesting within 50 metres of a defence firm's premises in Brighton.
But the protesters have claimed an "important victory", saying the injunction does not go as far as restrictions requested by EDO MBM.
The company says the Smash EDO group is engaged in a campaign of unlawful harassment against its workers.
The interim injunction was granted on Friday by a High Court judge in London.
It will last until the full trial in EDO MBM's action, which both they and the defendants hope will begin very soon.
Mr Justice Gross ordered the protest ban under the Protection from Harassment Act, which he said primarily deals with the "phenomenon of stalking" but had also been used in cases involving animal rights and GM crops protesters.
He said he could not accept the protesters' argument that limits should be placed on the use of the act.
He granted the injunction after deciding that the defendants seemed willing to use harassment and criminal acts in pursuit of their campaign.
'Peaceful protest'
EDO MBM's action was launched by managing director David Jones, who alleges that 156 employees at the Brighton plant, as well as security guards and three sub-contractors, have been subjected to intimidation and insults.
Andrew Beckett, from Smash EDO, described that claim as "absolute nonsense".
"No individuals who work for EDO have been targeted," he said.
The defence systems firm makes weapons parts at its premises in Home Farm Road.
It wanted protests to be restricted to four-and-a-half hours on Thursday afternoons, with a maximum of 10 people and no artificial or amplifying noise, until a full trial.
But Mr Beckett said the temporary injunction imposed by Mr Justice Gross was "an important victory" for Smash EDO because it contained no conditions on the size or timing of any protest.
He added that protesters "still find the use of anti-stalking legislation [in this case] utterly wrong".
EDO claims a "concerted campaign" of unlawful harassment and is taking action against Smash EDO, the Bombs Out of Brighton Campaign and 12 named individuals.
Smash EDO said its members had been "involved in a year-long campaign of peaceful protest".
They argued that an injunction would have a "draconian and totally unjustified impact", and Mr Beckett added they would be continuing to fight for their right to protest.
Their action has included a roadblock and a 24-hour rooftop occupation.
the green green grass of my rustic meadow
yawn yawn
02.05.2005 18:27
why oh why is this same press release being posted and posted?
got nothing better to do? why not get a life and get off the net?
boring..........
got a life, what about you?
I smell disinfo
05.05.2005 09:40
The injunction granted basically prohibits things which are already crimes (i.e. harrassment, assault), writing 'offensive' letters (which could be iffy), makes civil trespass criminal, and creates some small exclusion zones and a designated protest zone, which the police can (and do) do already under s14 of the public order act.
Thats very tame compared to what they were seeking, 11/15 terms were thrown out so its quite a victory for the campaign. Its not necessarily a (total) victory for the right to protest, but the press release makes clear that smash edo (they can't speak for anyone else) will defend this right "they will expose EDO's complicity in war crimes and Sussex Police’s attack on the right to protest."
hardly new labour spin, a la 'war is peace', 'socialising is antisocial behviour', is it?
smashnik