Smash EDO to Hold 'Remember Gaza' Demonstrations as two more Carnivalistas are acquitted

Anti Arms Trade activists are, this week, holding a week of action in support of the 'decommissioners', six people who broke into EDO MBM/ITT in Mouslecoombe and destroyed equipment with the aim of preventing it being used by the Israeli army in war crimes. One, Elijah Smith, remains in prison on remand. Today, protesters will gather at the EDO MBM/ITT arms factory to remember the 1400 people who died during January.

Chloe Marsh, press spokesperson for Smash EDO said "In January thousands of people were massacred in Gaza, nearly 400 children were killed and schools and hospitals were bombed. EDO were making a profit from the massacre by supplying weapons to the Israeli army. The demonstration today is to remember those killed and to support the six people who took action to prevent EDO from supplying more weapons to Israel'

Yesterday two of the defendants in the decommissioning trial, were successful in their appeal of their conviction for offences relating to the 2008 'Carnival Against the Arms Trade'. Both defendants had been arrested in a mass invasion of the EDO MBM/ITT carpark. Fifteen people were arrested after the 'Carnival', which Sussex Police described as a riot.

Sussex Police originally interviewed those arrested for 'conspiracy' charges. Later, they dropped all serious charges and so far have only secured three convictions for minor public order offences. In June a peace protester who admitted punching a police officer at the Smash EDO Carnival Against the Arms Trade was found not guilty of assault on grounds that he acted in self defence, after the court found police had used unlawful and excessive force by beating him with batons at the protest.

On Thursday October 22nd Smash EDO are holding a rally outside the Foreign Office, London, demanding an end of arms exports to Israel.

For more information on the week of action see:  http://decommissioners.co.uk/2009/09/16/october-16th-26th-support-the-decommissioners-week-of-events/

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Notes for Editors

EDO MBM, based in Moulsecoomb, is a weapons manufacturer owned by the American multi-national ITT. They make weapon components for the Paveway guided bomb programme, which was the most used aerial weapon in the attack on Iraq. They also own the patents of the Zero Retention Force Arming Unit and the Ejector Release Unit ERU 151, both essential components for the F16 aircraft’s VER-2 bomb rack, used by the Israeli Air Force against civilians in Gaza.

Since 2004 there has been a growing campaign against EDO MBM in Brighton. Campaigners have used diverse tactics to highlight and resist this murderous business in our city. There have been blockades, rooftop occupations, street theatre and hundreds of noise demos outside the factory. Thousands of people have also taken to the streets against them during nationally advertised events.

Contact: Andrew Beckett or Chloe Marsh, Smash EDO campaig Tel: 07754135290 E-mail:  smashedopress@riseup.net Website:
www.smashedo.org.uk