Sheffield - DSEi 2003

September 2003: International arms trade fair London.

Legal Update: DSEi, Anti-War protests and others...

Legal Update 16th September here.
Samba player in deep trouble after having been badly beaten by police and spending two days at Charing Cross police station; Witness appeal.

Liberty are asking for reports from people who were stopped and searched, ASAP. An email list has been set up for people who were arrested / beaten etc..

Since the 1st of September, 144 people have been arrested in protests against the Defence Systems and Equipment international arms fair (DSEi) that has been taking place in East London. Policing tactics have been condemned by a wide range of people and Liberty is have won the right to seek a High Court injunction over use of Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000; they have also offered to provide legal representation for anyone stopped or detained under this legislation. Bindmans Lawyers have also requested information or witnesses from DSEi.

Legal resources:
Activists' Legal Project
Legal Defence & Monitoring Group
free B.E.A.G.L.E.S. legal resource centre
Urban75 legal page

Numerous requests for witnesses have been made on the UK indymedia newswire [1 2 3 4 5 6]. There have also been several videos posted showing police violence against demonstrators which may provide evidence [ 1 2 - more can be found on the full reports from the 9th, 10th and 11th September].

Meanwhile, Anti-War demonstrators are still being threatened with - and receiving - harsh sentences. Protestors from Fairford come to trial next week while some are still fighting to get the charges reduced before they come to trial (Background to the case). Yet others are still looking for witnesses and some, like Ulla Roder (who was arrested for damaging a Tornado war-plane), have had their trials delayed numerous times.

Further afield, Simon Chapman and the Thessalonikki 7 remain imprisoned in Greece (solidarity website). Simon's first appeal has failed (against the charges) and he is currently awaiting the results of a second appeal. Key evidence such as the video have been re-submitted. In the United States, webmaster of raisethefist.com Sherman Austin has been imprisoned for 1 year; he has since been subject to death threats and is being kept in solitary on the grounds of safety as a reason.

Sheffield Helps Disarm DSEi

10-09-2003 16:06 | DSEi 2003 | Anti-militarism | Sheffield

Following on from the successful action at Fluent last week, many Sheffield protestors took their protest to the heart of the east end of London for the DSEi main event.

One Sheffield person was arrested on Tuesday and at least 3 people from Sheffield were arrested on Wednesday and taken to Charring Cross police station. One of them might have been charged with assault.

On Thursday the Sheffield Samba Band joind others at the Lancaster Gate protest.

Thursday report | witness appeal

Wednesday report

Tuesday reports: [1 | 2 | 3 ] photos: [ 1 | 2 | 3 ] video

Monday BAE action

Saturday photos: [ 1 | 2 | 3] video: [ 1 | 2 ]

More Actions Against DSEi

06-09-2003 01:01 | DSEi 2003 | Anti-militarism | London | Sheffield

In recent days three more actions have been carried out against firms due to exhibit at the DSEi Arms Fair in London 9-12th September. Further protests against DSEi in London and NATO's Military Committee in Cambridge are expected over the next few days.

Birmingham

On 5th Friday activists from Birmingham staged a roof-top protest at the headquarters of Caterpillar(UK), in Desford, near Leicester, unfurling a banner reading "Caterkillar – Demolishing Palestine – Demolishing Peace". The action was in protest at the sale of Caterpillar D9 armoured bulldozers to Israel (see report and pics).

Surrey

On Wednesday 3rd activists occupied the roof of a BAe Systems Factory in Byfleet, Surrey hanging a banner reading "Destroy the arms trade" (see report).

Sheffield

Meanwhile on Tuesday 2nd around twenty people took action against Fluent Ltd, a computer modelling software company in Sheffield. Several campaigners barricaded themselves inside the revolving doors while more people climbed up onto the canopy above the main entrance and hung a banner reading "Fluent Deal in Death" (see report, pics). The action followed anti-arms street theatre in the city centre.