Anti-militarist activists entered the ITT/EDO MBM arms factory in Moulescombe, Brighton in the early hours of this morning, where they are believed to have caused extensive damage to the offices, and to equipment used to make arms, including the 'zero retention force arming units' and 'ejector release unit 151' which the Smash EDO/ITT campaign says are supplied to the Israeli Air Force. The campaign became aware of the action when they received a phone call from those inside the factory this morning who said that they were 'decommissioning' the factory in solidarity with the people of Gaza, who are currently at the receiving end of the factories products.
Updates: EDO Decomissioners Charged | Solidarity Demo Brighton Magisrates Mon. 19th | Three remanded at bail hearing |
Links: Campaign Website | Action Page |
The arms factory has been targetted by the Smash EDO Campaign for a number of years. In 2005 EDO MBM took High Court action in an attempt to curtail protest at the factory. They lost the action, which proved to be an expensive own-goal as it gave the campaign increased exposure, and brought it to national attention. In 2008 the factory was taken over by ITT.
Weekly protests have been held outside the factory since 2004, and there have been a number of national demos, at the factory and on the streets of Brighton. On October 15th, the SHUT ITT Demo succeeded in shutting the factory for the day.
According to reports in the national media, todays action may have the effect of shutting down the factory for some time. The BBC quotes Det Ch Insp Graham Pratt as saying: "Windows had been smashed and offices turned over in what I would describe as wanton vandalism, but with machinery and equipment so targeted that it could have been done with a view of bringing business to a standstill....The damage is significant and the value substantial."
Prior to entering the factory, the activists made a video (attached) in which they explained their reasons for the action. One commented: "Israel are committing a gross crime now in Gaza. Israel have killed hundreds of children. I think its absolutely disgusting that weapons made in our cities and in our country are being used to kill innocent women and children. They have been used indiscriminately. If the law and the police cant do anything about it its about time somebody else did."
About 30 police are believed to have attended the factory, where they witnessed computers and office equipment being thrown out of first floor windows. Nine people are believed to have been arrested and taken to the Hollingbury and Worthing Police Stations, where police say they are being held on 'suspicion of burglary'. One protestor is believed to have required hospital treatment.
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Well done!
17.01.2009 20:18
There is no place in a decent society for companies that profit from war crimes!
These death factory smashers are heroes! EDO are less than zeros!
Offence Worker
nice one! good luck to those arrested
17.01.2009 20:47
Good luck to those arrested, hopefully the bad publicity for EDO from the court case will be extensive.
@non
Defence fund?
17.01.2009 20:59
Will there be some way that us normal cowards can help them?
bob
great!
17.01.2009 21:29
a
Smash EDO are ace!!
17.01.2009 21:35
Solidarity with those arrested, and yes a national campaign to collect funds for the court cases should now be set up.
You rock!
Big up to smash EDO!
woohooo
17.01.2009 21:37
Krop
Helping those arrested
17.01.2009 22:05
I'm not trying to say that efforts should be made to support those arrested or help them with legal costs for their defense etc, just that there are almost certainly better places to discuss and organise it.
Indymedia is great for some things and crap for others. It's not a nice private discussion forum for the movement.
nuff said
Good grief!
18.01.2009 11:15
Little Englanders
Brilliant action!
18.01.2009 13:22
Could do with some advice about researching a company - if there's a British arms factory, who make guns and tanks, and they say they are "represented" by an Israeli company who deal in "Defense Projects Development, marketing & Management, Supply of Law Enforcement & Security equipment, Setting-up joint ventures and Partnerships,Supply of materials, Explosives & propellant Powders for military and commercial markets, Setting-up distribution Networks of Firearms Ammo & Accessories for the Institutional & Commercial markets Worldwide" - is it a fair bet that they're supplying the Israeli army?
Ms Anne Thropy
Smash EDO beware!!
18.01.2009 14:57
The activists that were involved can expect to be convicted of burglary, criminal damage etc. Smash EDO co-ordinators can potentially expect far worse. The police will have a growing file of `evidence` which they will likely use at some point to bring a case of `conspiracy to blackmail` against anyone who arranged demos, updated the website etc. Even those who merely attended demos regularly may be targetted, particularly if it can be shown that there is some tenuous `link` between them and the `organisers`.
7 campaigners from the SHAC campaign will tomorrow be sentenced for conspiracy to blackmail and can expect to receive up to 14 years each!!! There was no evidence of illegal activity against any of them. No criminal damage, no incendiary devices, no malicious letters, no hoax paedophile smears etc, although all of these things may have taken place during the course of the campaign, but there was no evidence to link the 7 activists on trial with any of these actions.
With another massive action against EDO planned for Mayday, police may want to launch their attack before that event. Smash EDO should not be too surprised to be awoken one morning soon by their doors being smashed in. Beware!!
A criminalised peaceful protester
Money vs action - no intentional offence
19.01.2009 11:37
Daniel
BBC on charges
19.01.2009 15:08
Seven charged over Gaza protest
Seven men have been charged with burglary and criminal damage following an attack on an arms factory in Sussex.
EDO MBM Technology in Moulsecoomb was broken into on Friday night by protesters angry about the Israeli attacks in Gaza.
Police said two men from Brighton and five men from Bristol would appear before Brighton magistrates on Monday.
A woman from Bristol remains under arrest, while a woman from Brighton is on bail pending further inquiries.
EDO designs, develops and manufactures weapon carriage and release systems and is an approved supplier to the Ministry of Defence and governments worldwide.
Linoleum
Bexhill Observer
19.01.2009 15:14
Published Date: 19 January 2009
Seven people have been charged with burglary and criminal damage after anti-war protesters broke into an East Sussex arms factory, police have said.
Officers made nine arrests after a group entered the EDO MBM Technology plant in Home Farm Road, Brighton, East Sussex in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Demonstrators said they were "decommissioning" the site in protest against the killing of Palestinians in Gaza by the Israeli military.
They claimed equipment manufactured at the plant was being used in Gaza by the Israeli air force.
Sussex Police said seven out of the nine people arrested had been charged with burglary and criminal damage.
A 38-year-old woman from Bristol remains under arrest but is currently receiving treatment in hospital for a hand injury.
A 21-year-old woman from Brighton was granted bail pending further inquiries, a Sussex Police spokeswoman added.
The seven charged are due to appear at Brighton Magistrates' Court. They include: Simon Levin, 34 and Christopher Osmond, 28, both from Brighton; Thomas Woodhead, 24, Harvey Tadman, 43 and Robert Nichols, 51, all from Bristol.
Elijah Smith, 42, from Bristol, has additionally been charged with breach of bail.
Robert Alford, 28, from Bristol, has additionally been charged with breach of bail and criminal damage to a police cell.
Linoleum
IAF officer briefs press and inadvertantly admits to war crimes...
19.01.2009 17:25
Under the Geneva Conventions perfidy/human shields do not make civillians legitimate targets. This guy casully describes taking the decision to hit civillians under certain circumstances.
Just imagine if a bank robber were to plead in court he took half the charge out his cartridges!
Linoleum
well done - well done
19.01.2009 18:07
This is an important and paradigm shift, a step nearer in this campaign -
moving from protest to proactive resistance of warmongering.
Excellent to see the changes to those tools for destruction (ie the computers, equipment etc) - its like art work, art work I say, its not being a bystander on the verge. They are just creative brave people like any of us can be. Lets hope that the current solidarity is not now hi-jacked with further abuse of police/workers polarising the work done well.
Lets also give some space and allow for the workers there to yet become whistle blowers, or come back across the line of being complicit workers and join in the transformation of weaponry - pick up your hammers and continue the work from the shop floor and the office.
Well done all involved in this nonviolent creative act.
LHM
Israeli War Crimes
19.01.2009 19:45
HRW
To Daniel
19.01.2009 20:11
Smash EDOista
State attacks
20.01.2009 14:26
That warning is timely.
Rape children and you will get a five year sentence, later increased to eight years and you will be let out after four years
Kill a child and leave another with mental problems, while being drunk and banned for life from driving, and you will get an eight year sentence and be walking around at the scene of your crime in less than three years
The state doesn't care, those victims were only little people and so disposable. None of them gave money to political parties.
Cause people to think about the activities of the state, for example by running a web site the state doesn't like, and you will be treated as if you were a child rapist or murderer.
Justice? When are we going to start having some?
Observer
re 'obrserver''s comment-when we make it
21.01.2009 14:36
one
Update: one more out on bail
22.01.2009 19:23
Any support for the remanded would be much appreciated.
Elijah Smith Prisoner no VP77551
Robert Alford VP7552
HMP Lewes
1 Brighton Road
Lewes
East Sussex
BN7 1EA
Smash EDO
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Resisting War Crimes Is Not a Crime
27.01.2009 18:32
stig
Homepage:
http://www.decommisioners.wordpress.com
respect, respect respect.x
02.02.2009 00:04
Chris
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cakeden@yahoo.co.uk
Correction
04.02.2009 18:02
Cheers.
jude
jude the obscure
uploaded a compressed video
13.03.2009 04:33
I compressed the video in MP4 format with only 13MB and uploaded here:
Many people will remind the same actions which were found not guilty finally: the Seeds of Hope in 1996 and the Pitstop Ploughshares in 2003.
(a participant of Faslane 365 in 2007)
Kouichi
e-mail:
toyosima@ta2.so-net.ne.jp
Homepage:
http://faslane365.blog86.fc2.com/