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EDO Blockaded Again

Smashy | 14.12.2010 10:14 | Anti-militarism | Terror War | South Coast

Early this morning a group of activists locked themselves to the gates of the EDO/ITT weapons factory in Brighton. SmashEDO press spokesperson Andrew Beckett said,

'Once again EDO boss Paul Hills has been forced to angle grind his way through his own fence to get his workers back to their murderous production line. Today's action has been taken in protest against EDO/ITT's complicity in civilian deaths in the US' war of aggression in Afghanistan, and to show EDO that wherever in the world they profit from death and misery, we'll be here in Brighton to fight back'.


Smash EDO Press Release - For Immediate Release

14th December 2010

For details contact Andrew Beckett or Chloe Marsh on 07538093930 or
 smashedopress@riseup.net

Early this morning a group of anti arms trade activists attached
themselves to the gates of the EDO/ITT weapons factory in Brighton. The
action was taken in protest against the company's supply of arms
components being used by the US military against civilians in Afghanistan.

EDO is currently working on a contract, worth US$5 million[1], for supply
of weapons
umbilical connectors to the US air force A-10 and F-16 aircraft. Paul
Hills, EDO,
managing director, has described the function of the connector as "to provide
coordinates to the guidance unit... on the weapon."[2]

These American aircraft are being used in war crimes against the people of
Afghanistan.

EDO's connector systems have already resulted in civilian deaths in
Afghanistan. In
2009 Royal Dutch Air Force F-16s, equipped with EDO's FRCS connectors[3],
killed 52
civilians in a bombing raid in Helmand[4].

Smash EDO press spokesperson Chloe Marsh said "The government's spending
review made
only perfunctory cuts to the defence budget. Every job in the arms trade
is still
massively subsidised by the state. The exports made by EDO benefit only
the company
CEOs. All this at the same time as the government is cutting the education
and
health budgets and hammering ordinary people's pensions and benefits."

The arms industry makes its money through destroying the lives of
civilians abroad
whilst the budget cuts target the most vulnerable people here. We say that
it is
obvious where the budget cuts should be focused - on an arms trade that only
benefits the corporations.

Notes For Journalists

[1] The contract can be viewed at  http://bit.ly/8Y8jbq

[2]Mr Hills made this comment during his five day long cross-examination
for the
trial of the six 'decommissioners' who had broken into his factory during
Israel's
2009 massacre in Gaza - see  http://bit.ly/95hlzW , pp 37. For a full
transcript of
his evidence see www.smashedo.org.uk/resources.htm

[3] In an interview with the British journalist Joe Plomin the Dutch
military were
asked "Were the Dutch F-16s which provided air support to soldiers from
NATO's
International Security Assistance Force in Kandahar on the 30th of
September 2009
fitted with Field Replaceable Connector Systems (FRCS)?" The Dutch
replied: "We are
using these connectors. It's confirmed." [4]  http://bit.ly/9meosr

Smashy
- e-mail: smashedo@riseup.net
- Homepage: http://smashedo.org.uk

Additions

Update

14.12.2010 10:22

Activists at the gates of EDO remain relatively unmolested by police. A section of the fence has been removed which is now large enough to let deliveries, as well as workers, into the factory compound.

Smashy


Update

14.12.2010 10:24

The blockade is entering its 5th hour. And for reasons best known to themselves the 15 to 20 or so police officers that had been in attendance at the factory appear to have left.

Smashy


Final Update

14.12.2010 11:17

After over 5 very cold hours, all protesters have disentangled themselves from EDO's gates, ending the action. There were no arrests.

Watch this space for upcoming anti arms action and events, and don't forget the noise demos in the new year.

www.smashedo.org.uk

Smashy


Comments

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  1. nice one... — westcider

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