Two campaigners have been arrested after blockading the gates of a Brighton arms factory on the tenth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. A group of activists arrived at the EDO MBM factory at 6am and three of them affixed themselves to the gates using bicycle d-locks and superglue. They were all removed after six hours.
The action was held to mark the tenth anniversary of the beginning of the Iraq war in 2003. EDO MBM is one of a group of companies which has supplied Paveway bombs for use in Iraq and Afghanistan. The company also manufactures an essential weapons system cable, the Field Replaceable Connector System (FRCS), which is used on US planes known to carry cluster munitions. EDO also provides and supports the main bomb racks for British aircraft used in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Chloe Marsh of Smash EDO said:
“The case for war was put to people in the UK on the basis of an immediate threat from Iraqi WMD. This turned out, as expected, to be a lie. As a result, according to the Lancet, over a million Iraqi citizens have died.”
Andrew Beckett of Smash EDO said:
“We are here to commemorate those who died in the aerial bombardment of Iraq and to resist EDO ‘s continued supply of components to the US UK military.”
Another campaigner, Jessica Nero, was challenging her conviction for aggravated trespass in a Lewes appeal court today, resulting from a similar action in April 2011. Her case was adjourned after the court decided two days would not be enough time to deal with the case. This was because an expert report was served by the defence containing a large file of what the defence legal team argue is evidence proving the unlawfulness of EDO’s activities.
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