Charges against eight activists (charged with a range
of public order offences) were dropped by the Crown
Prosecution Service yesterday afternoon (THURS 10th
Mar). The eight were arrested on May 31st during a
demonstration outside Brighton arms dealers EDO MBM.
of public order offences) were dropped by the Crown
Prosecution Service yesterday afternoon (THURS 10th
Mar). The eight were arrested on May 31st during a
demonstration outside Brighton arms dealers EDO MBM.
Three, including a solicitor, were charged with
‘assault PC’, which regularly carries a prison
sentence. The others, including an eighty-year-old man
were charged with resist/obstruct PC and obstruction
of the highway. The CPS explained that prosecution
‘was not in the public interest’.
Campaigners expressed relief, Chris Osmond, charged
with 'assault PC' said “We’ve had this hanging over
our heads for over a year now, the fact that all the
charges have been dropped suggests that the police
always knew that they had a very weak case-the
police’s own film shows them lining up in formation
preparing to attack people. This was a deliberate and
provocative attack on a peaceful demonstration and if
it hadn’t been for the amazing work of our legal team
some of us would have been imprisoned ”
This case follows the dropping of charges against
three activists who conducted a weapons inspection at
the factory in March last year. They were charged with
holding an illegal assembly but charges were dropped
mid-trial on February 9th when the judge ordered
disclosure of unused evidence. The same evidence would
also have been disclosed in any trial of those eight
arrested on May 31st.
Four other activists were recently acquitted on appeal
after being charged with ‘aggravated trespass’
following a roof-top demo. This brings the number of
failed prosecutions of protesters at EDO MBM to 22.
Smash Edo press spokesman Andrew Beckett said “We
always maintained that the police’s actions on May
31st 2005 were violent and undemocratic-Their
willingness to drop such serious charges after a year
raises serious questions about what evidence the
police are so worried about being heard in open court.
Does it concern the police’s interaction with EDO MBM
and EDO MBM’s solicitor Timothy Lawson Cruttenden?
Were arrests of prominent activists named on the
injunction made ‘to order’ to bolster EDO MBM’s
attempt to create an exclusion zone around the factory
in the civil courts?”
SMASH EDO will return the factory for a Citizen’s
Weapons Inspection on March 21st. Meet at the bottom
of Home Farm Road Brighton at 4pm.
To see two short independent films about the campaign
go to
http://www.schnews.org.uk/schmovies
‘assault PC’, which regularly carries a prison
sentence. The others, including an eighty-year-old man
were charged with resist/obstruct PC and obstruction
of the highway. The CPS explained that prosecution
‘was not in the public interest’.
Campaigners expressed relief, Chris Osmond, charged
with 'assault PC' said “We’ve had this hanging over
our heads for over a year now, the fact that all the
charges have been dropped suggests that the police
always knew that they had a very weak case-the
police’s own film shows them lining up in formation
preparing to attack people. This was a deliberate and
provocative attack on a peaceful demonstration and if
it hadn’t been for the amazing work of our legal team
some of us would have been imprisoned ”
This case follows the dropping of charges against
three activists who conducted a weapons inspection at
the factory in March last year. They were charged with
holding an illegal assembly but charges were dropped
mid-trial on February 9th when the judge ordered
disclosure of unused evidence. The same evidence would
also have been disclosed in any trial of those eight
arrested on May 31st.
Four other activists were recently acquitted on appeal
after being charged with ‘aggravated trespass’
following a roof-top demo. This brings the number of
failed prosecutions of protesters at EDO MBM to 22.
Smash Edo press spokesman Andrew Beckett said “We
always maintained that the police’s actions on May
31st 2005 were violent and undemocratic-Their
willingness to drop such serious charges after a year
raises serious questions about what evidence the
police are so worried about being heard in open court.
Does it concern the police’s interaction with EDO MBM
and EDO MBM’s solicitor Timothy Lawson Cruttenden?
Were arrests of prominent activists named on the
injunction made ‘to order’ to bolster EDO MBM’s
attempt to create an exclusion zone around the factory
in the civil courts?”
SMASH EDO will return the factory for a Citizen’s
Weapons Inspection on March 21st. Meet at the bottom
of Home Farm Road Brighton at 4pm.
To see two short independent films about the campaign
go to
http://www.schnews.org.uk/schmovies
Comments
Hide the following 2 comments
great news
11.03.2006 10:43
Obviously Sussex Police are now running scared. Their dirty plot with the arms dealers needs to be covered up because protesters could be taking them to court if the truth comes out. Lets hope the remaining criminal cases are also dropped soon to complete the big picture of Edo MBM scandal.
(Slight correction to above press release - May 31st 2005-March 10th 2006 is not over a year. The truth is significant enough. No need to exagerate it comrades)
victorious
brilliant news
13.03.2006 17:12
squirrrellloo