[Imc-uk-features] Proposed Smash EDO Middle Column Feature

[thewallmustfall at riseup.net]

I'd like to put up a feature something like this when the land is taken -
obviously it would be nice if we could do this quickly which is why i'm
getting approval first - there will be a report on taking the land and a
picture added

Land Taken for Smash EDO Action camp

>From 27th - 30th August Smash EDO (www.smashedo.org.uk) are holding an
action camp in the Wild Park, close to Mouslecoomb Station in Brighton. The
camp will be a time to hold creative direct actions against the arms trade
and a forum to discuss the anti-arms trade movement.
For over 3 years residents have been campaigning to close down local arms
manufacturers EDO MBM, a wholly owned subsidiary of EDO Corp, a US-based
arms multinational that is currently number 10 on the Forbes 100 list of
fastest growing companies. EDO MBM's military products include bomb racks,
release clips and arming mechanisms for warplanes like the F-16 and Apache
helicopters. They have contracts with the UK Ministry of 'Defence' and US
arms giant Raytheon relating to the release mechanisms of the Paveway bomb
system, the most used missile in the aerial bombardment of Iraq. Many of
those campaigning against EDO MBM have witnessed at first hand the effects
of these missiles on Palestinians by the Israeli military.
The campaign has included rooftop occupations, blockades, creative protests
and every Wednesday from 4-6 a noise demo takes place outside the EDO MBM
factory.
This is the third peace camp fo the campaign. The first camp in 2004
mobilised local support and ended with a rooftop occupation of the factory:
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/09/297598.html
Sussex police, accompanied by a helicopter and dogs, raided the camp in 2005
and tried to shut it down. However the local council told the police they
had no intention to close the camp which was on council land. Various
creative actions were held at the camp:
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/southcoast/2005/08/321973.html
Last summer protests at the factory focused on the Israeli bombardment of
Lebanon killing over 1,000 civilians, with a rooftop occupation (
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/southern_counties/5278062.stm) and two
blockades of the gates:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/southern_counties/5187726.stm
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/southcoast/2006/09/351317.html
This year has seen two blockades of the factory by students from Sussex
University:
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/southcoast/2007/02/362730.html
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/05/371201.html

EDO MBM attempted to quash the campaign in 2005 with an injunction under the
PHA (Protaction from Harrassment Act) with the help of notorious
anti-protest lawyer Timothy Lawson-Cruttenden. The Injunction collapsed a
year later costing EDO around £1m in costs and with compensation awarded to
the protesters representing themselves:
http://www.schnews.org.uk/archive/news531.htm#1
During the campaign over 40 protesters have been arrested with the vast
majority resukting in acquittals or not even going to trial. Two protesters
spent a week on remand before having cases against them dropped.
EDO MBM boss David Jones and other directors have resigned and EDO MBM
closed a major section of their business:
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/02/362939.html

*e-mail:* smashedo at hotmail.com
[image: -] *Homepage:* http://www.smashedo.org.uk
*phone: 07875 708873
*
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