On 12th April 2005, activists from across the North East carried out a blockade of Caterpillar's Peterlee site in protest at their supplying of bulldozers to Israel, used in house demolitions which have made 50 000 homeless since 1967, and killed dozens.
The blockade in progress..
Over 20 people held an hour-long blockade of the site, chaining the gates shut and assembling in the entrance with a half-scale model of a Caterpillar bulldozer mounted on the back of a flatbed truck. Vehicles were forced to cue up on both sides of the gate and wait for the blockade to end, including senior managers at the factory, who replied with abuse to an invitation to discuss the sale of CAT armoured bulldozers to Israel.
Participants of the protest held banners, distributed leaflets and spoke on the megaphone to passing drivers and workers at the Caterpillar site, some of whom responded with interest to what their employers are involved with, gathering to watch the protest.
The protest was covered on four regional radio stations, four local newspapers and occupied the second slot on ITV's regional news programme.
The protest ended with the demonstrators taking over both sides of the road and marching through the industrial estate, receiving support from workers at other sites.
Participants of the protest held banners, distributed leaflets and spoke on the megaphone to passing drivers and workers at the Caterpillar site, some of whom responded with interest to what their employers are involved with, gathering to watch the protest.
The protest was covered on four regional radio stations, four local newspapers and occupied the second slot on ITV's regional news programme.
The protest ended with the demonstrators taking over both sides of the road and marching through the industrial estate, receiving support from workers at other sites.
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Organisers..
12.04.2005 19:30
And here's a pic of the aforementioned model bulldozer..
Tom
Well done
17.04.2005 21:26
I'm really impressed by the bulldozer you made.
I'm into these visual kind of actions ( I hope they really make people think)
We did the tank action in Manchester
and I do think that we can use what we make as a tool for different groups involved in the same kind of things. What about sharing?
marita
marita
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