Smash EDO Press Release - Open Letter to Sussex Police

www.smashedo.org.uk

PRESS RELEASE
30th November 2005.
EMBARGO: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Press Contact: Andrew Beckett or Sarah Johnson
07875 708873

Peace Activists in Brighton have taken the unusual
step of negotiating with the police via an open
letter. The text of the letter is as follows:


OPEN LETTER TO SUSSEX POLICE

We represent a coalition of peace activists who are
against the presence of a weapons manufacturing plant
in Moulsecoombe. Activists have called for a
demonstration in the centre of town on 10th December,
International Human Rights Day, followed by a march to
the Level.

The last time protestors attempted to march peacefully
through town on August 13th, they were confronted by a
large number of police including officers from the
Met.
Approximately 50 protestors were prevented from
marching down North Rd, which was blocked by police
dogs. Police pushed the marchers into a side street,
preventing them from demonstrating and made four
arrests including that of an eighty two year old man
and a sixteen year old girl.

We understand that you have repeatedly attempted to
communicate with campaigners in order to negotiate
events on the 10th December. It has been suggested
that organisers co-operate with the police if they
want the right to demonstrate.

Extracts from emails received from PC Sean Mcdonald

12th October: I am more than willing to assist
organising your protest on 10th December to ensure it
passes peacefully. If you do not wish to interact with
us then we will encounter similar problems to last
time.

23rd November: Presently you have not outlined what
your proposals are for this day and our planning must
reflect this. On 13th August this year you held a
similar "event" and you were aware how this was
Policed.(sic)

We find this approach unnecessarily threatening and
the fact that you deployed over 100 officers to make
arrests for minor public order offences, three of
which cases have already been dropped , says that you
were clearly in the wrong on that day. It is therefore
wrong to threaten us with similar behaviour as we
exercise our democratic rights.

The unfortunate fact is that you have been extremely
swift to pass on information about activists to
Timothy Lawson-Cruttenden, the solicitor acting for
EDO MBM in the injunction trial. Anybody stepping
forward as an organiser runs the risk of becoming
involved in a potentially ruinous civil trial. (As a
result of the legal costs of an injunction taken out
by Lawson-Cruttenden in Cambridgeshire, one activist
nearly lost her home). It was Inspector Kerry Cox who
initially suggested the idea of an injunction to EDO
MBM to restrict protest at the factory. If the
defendants win, can they expect an apology from you?

Nor has your behaviour as a force during the Labour
Party Conference, where you detained Walter Wolfgang
under the Terrorism Act, and arrested another man for
wearing an offensive T –shirt, filled us with any
confidence over your regard for civil liberties.

You say your actions on August 13th were intended to
prevent “serious disruption to the life of the
community”. We say that demonstrations and marches are
a vital part of the life of the community, not a
disruption of it! We intend nothing more than to
peacefully gather in Churchill Square and march to the
Level to spread our message about Brighton’s
involvement in the arms trade. We do not believe that
in a democratic society we should have to apply to the
police for permission to assemble. We suggest that you
reconsider your approach and allow us to march on the
10th.

Yours faithfully

Michelle Tester

www.smashedo.org.uk