HOME | IMC UK | Editorial Guidelines | Mission Statement | About Us | Contact | Help | Support Us

SouthCoast Indymedia

Smash EDO Press Release: Protester Wins Assault Police Case On Self Defence

smashy | 05.06.2009 15:35 | Smash EDO | Anti-militarism | South Coast

Smash EDO PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

5 June 2009

Smash EDO Carnival 2008 Protester Who Hit Back at Police Officer Wins Assault Case after Plea of Self Defence




A peace protester who admitted punching a police officer at the Smash EDO Carnival Against the Arms Trade on June 4 2008 was found not guilty of assault today 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.

Brighton Magistrates Court found Chris Bluemel, a music teacher from Southampton, not guilty of two alternative charges of Assault on Police and Common Assault, after he admitted he had struck back at one of the officers who had beaten him.

In their verdict three magistrates said that the evidence of PC Dugan, who received a punch in the face after beating Mr Bluemel to the ground, had been 'vague and contradictory' in its description of the timing of events, while in contrast Mr Bluemel was clearly a man of good character who had been 'credible and consistent' about what had happened.

Commenting on policing of events that saw hundreds of protesters enter the car park of Brighton arms firm EDO MBM, the magistrates said that although the actions of police had been lawful to begin with it had descended into unlawful and excessive force in the last moments when protesters where being driven from the car park with batons and police dogs. There was no evidence of any violence used against the police by the protesters. In the circumstances Mr Bluemel had been reasonable in fighting back against the police attack who were clearly 'not acting in the execution of their duty'.

Mr Bluemel suffered extensive bruising to his left arm and back at the protest after repeated beatings.

During the case numerous character witnesses attested to Mr Bluemel’s commitment to peace and justice, and hatred of violence. They included his
employer, the Principal of the college in Southampton where he
works, who described him as 'very gentle and patient’. The Principal had chosen to come and support Chris in court today, and had left his deputy to
deal with a meeting with the shadow Minister of Education in Southampton instead.

Chloe Marsh, for Smash EDO said

’If anyone has been in any doubt that Sussex Police have used unlawful violence against peaceful protesters in this campaign then this verdict proves beyond a doubt the reality of what we have had to put up with over the last five years.’

‘Chris was brave enough to fight back, and was justified in doing so. The police should take a long hard look at their behaviour in the future to stop such events happening again. We are not intimidated by police violence. We will continue to protest against this factory which makes arms
that are used to destroy the lives of countless innocents around the world'

Chris Bluemel himself said:

'This marks the end of an extremely difficult year, which began with a police raid on my house, in which a huge amount of computer equipment and campaign materials was seized, and ended with a trial on ludicrous charges. The police have so far refused to apologise for the disruption and stress they have caused to my life, including the fear of losing my job had I been convicted.'


For more info contact Chloe Marsh or Andrew Beckett on 07754135290

Or to talk to Chris Bluemel directly 07855 351998

E-mail:  smashedopress@riseup.net

Notes for Journalists

The Company

From their base in Moulescoombe Brighton, EDO MBM/ITT, a unit of ITT corporation, manufacture vital parts for the Hellfire and Paveway weapons systems, laser guided missiles used extensively in Iraq, Lebanon,
Palestine
and Somalia. EDO Corp. were recently acquired by ITT in a multi-billion pound deal. ITT's links to fascism go back to the 1930s. The founder Sosthenes Behn was the first foreign businessman received by Hitler after his seizure of power.

The Campaign

There has been active campaign against the presence of EDO MBM in Brighton since the outbreak of the Iraq war. Campaigners include students, Quakers, Palestine solidarity activists, anti-capitalists and academics. Despite an injunction under the protection of harassment act (which failed) and over forty arrests the campaign is still going strong. Their avowed aim is to expose EDO MBM and their complicity in war crimes and to remove them from Brighton. They hold regular weekly demonstrations outside the Moulescoombe factory
on Wednesday's between 4 and 6.

THE FILM

On the Verge is an independent film about the SMASH EDO Campaign “In 2004 a group of Brighton peace campaigners began to bang pot and pans outside their local arms manufacturers EDO MBM in disgust of their part in the Iraq war. This has grown into the Smash EDO campaign, which has cost the company millions, been the subject of large scale police operations and has tested the right to protest in the UK. Using activist, police and CCTV footage plus interviews with those involved in the campaign, 'On The Verge' tells the story of one of the most persistent and imaginative




smashy
- e-mail: smashedopress@riseup.net
- Homepage: http://www.smashedopress.org.uk

Comments

Hide the following 6 comments

Congrats!

05.06.2009 15:59

Really happy to hear the good news.

Me


Sue?

05.06.2009 16:55

Very well done, Chris! Be good to get advice about sueing the cops now. A punch in the pocket tends to make them more pause for thought than anything else.

Stroppyoldgit


Whoop! Whoop!

06.06.2009 08:53

I'm so, so chuffed! Nice one, Chris :D

Hopefully this will bode well for other activists due in court who have been similarly mistreated at that demo. And for other activists defending human and animal rights; social and environmental justice too.

xXxx

Bombus mellifera


Well done Chris!

06.06.2009 16:54

Hey, and Chris is neither a big guy nor a macho type. The whole thing was ridiculous and Chris deserves this verdict and applause for being brave enough to resist a violent police assault.

Carl Weathers


legal team

07.06.2009 16:05

i'd really like to know who the legal team was on this case. this is quite a brave and imaginative defense to take and i'd possibly like them on my team one day...

blahster


Congratulations

10.06.2009 08:23

Seconding the call for info on who the legal team is.

Congratulations, and I'd also sue too - hit them where it really hurts.

{A}


Publish

Publish your news

Do you need help with publishing?

-->

Kollektives

Birmingham
Cambridge
Liverpool
London
Oxford
Sheffield
South Coast
Wales
World

Other UK IMCs
Bristol/South West
London
Northern Indymedia
Scotland

South Coast [navigation.actions2016]

South Coast [navigation.actions2015]

South Coast [navigation.actions2014]

NATO 2014

South Coast Actions 2013

G8 2013

South Coast Actions 2012

Workfare

South Coast Actions 2011

2011 Census Resistance
August Riots
Dale Farm
J30 Strike
Occupy Everywhere

South Coast Actions 2010

Flotilla to Gaza
Mayday 2010
Tar Sands

South Coast Actions 2009

COP15 Climate Summit 2009
G20 London Summit
Guantánamo
Indymedia Server Seizure
University Occupations for Gaza

South Coast Actions 2008

2008 Days Of Action For Autonomous Spaces
Campaign against Carmel-Agrexco
Climate Camp 2008
G8 Japan 2008
SHAC
Smash EDO
Stop Sequani Animal Testing
Stop the BNP's Red White and Blue festival

South Coast Actions 2007

Climate Camp 2007
DSEi 2007
G8 Germany 2007
Mayday 2007
No Border Camp 2007

South Coast Actions 2006

April 2006 No Borders Days of Action
Art and Activism Caravan 2006
Climate Camp 2006
Faslane
French CPE uprising 2006
G8 Russia 2006
Lebanon War 2006
March 18 Anti War Protest
Mayday 2006
Oaxaca Uprising
Refugee Week 2006
Rossport Solidarity
SOCPA
Transnational Day of Action Against Migration Controls
WSF 2006

South Coast Actions 2005

DSEi 2005
G8 2005
WTO Hong Kong 2005

South Coast Actions 2004

European Social Forum
FBI Server Seizure
May Day 2004
Venezuela

South Coast Actions 2003

Bush 2003
DSEi 2003
Evian G8
May Day 2003
No War F15
Saloniki Prisoner Support
Thessaloniki EU
WSIS 2003

IMCs


www.indymedia.org

Projects
print
radio
satellite tv
video

Africa

Europe
antwerpen
armenia
athens
austria
barcelona
belarus
belgium
belgrade
brussels
bulgaria
calabria
croatia
cyprus
emilia-romagna
estrecho / madiaq
galiza
germany
grenoble
hungary
ireland
istanbul
italy
la plana
liege
liguria
lille
linksunten
lombardia
madrid
malta
marseille
nantes
napoli
netherlands
northern england
nottingham imc
paris/île-de-france
patras
piemonte
poland
portugal
roma
romania
russia
sardegna
scotland
sverige
switzerland
torun
toscana
ukraine
united kingdom
valencia

Latin America
argentina
bolivia
chiapas
chile
chile sur
cmi brasil
cmi sucre
colombia
ecuador
mexico
peru
puerto rico
qollasuyu
rosario
santiago
tijuana
uruguay
valparaiso
venezuela

Oceania
aotearoa
brisbane
burma
darwin
jakarta
manila
melbourne
perth
qc
sydney

South Asia
india


United States
arizona
arkansas
asheville
atlanta
Austin
binghamton
boston
buffalo
chicago
cleveland
colorado
columbus
dc
hawaii
houston
hudson mohawk
kansas city
la
madison
maine
miami
michigan
milwaukee
minneapolis/st. paul
new hampshire
new jersey
new mexico
new orleans
north carolina
north texas
nyc
oklahoma
philadelphia
pittsburgh
portland
richmond
rochester
rogue valley
saint louis
san diego
san francisco
san francisco bay area
santa barbara
santa cruz, ca
sarasota
seattle
tampa bay
united states
urbana-champaign
vermont
western mass
worcester

West Asia
Armenia
Beirut
Israel
Palestine

Topics
biotech

Process
fbi/legal updates
mailing lists
process & imc docs
tech