Reed Elsevier in Oxford targeted again

Reed Elsevier may have thought that they had weathered the storm of controversy surrounding their bi-annual arms fair DSEi. However, Oxford activists had other ideas, and decided to remind them that they will not be having another two years of peace before DSEi 2007.

Following up from their previous demo (see ), feedback from inside the educational division of Reed Elsevier (trading as Elsevier, Harcourt, Gunns, Heinemann, Butterworths, LexisNexis, etc), was that staff are upset with their senior management over their involvement with an arms fair caught promoting landmines and instruments of torture. They were also inspired by the sterling editorial from the staff of the Lancet journal (a Reed Elsevier publication) criticising the fact that Reed Elsevier was involved in the arms trade.

Brave staff are already taking action, inspired by our previous demo alerting them to the issue. So, Oxford Autonomous Action decided that further encouragement could be taken to the second Reed Elsevier site in Oxford, at the Boulevard, Langford Lane, Oxford, OX5 1GB were many of the senior managemant of Reed Elsevier's publishing division are based.

With a banner, two drums and leaflets they went a'calling. One activist entered the building and politely attempted to talk to management - but after flat denials there were any in the building they admitted that there was one but he was too busy to discuss how landmines promoted at DSEi main and injure people.

Response from workers was excellent and several said that there was growing momentum inside the company over the DSEi link. This was really encouraging and made the protesters' day. Of course there were the occasional few who reacted by laughing and scrunching up leaflets showing pictures of maimed children, but there are assholes everywhere.

Police turned up this time, but they spent much of their time with their back to protestors and then left half way through. PC 5071 kept asking what was going on, and was offered a leaflet as the easiest explaination, but his response was "I dont want to read that crud".

The protesters stayed for over an hour, marching, leafleting and samba'ing, successfully raising awareness and keeping the pressure on Reed Elsevier.

Oxford Autonomous Action plan to make this a regular event. As the injuries and suffering inflicted by the arms trade never go away, then nor shall OAA as long as Reed Elsevier profits from facilitating it. More actions to come, including call outs for days of action. Watch this space. For more information, email us on  oxautomact@yahoo.co.in