by smashedo -

Press Release – Smash EDO Citizens' Weapons Inspection of EDO MBM

On Monday 16th July 2012 at 1pm a group of concerned citizens from Brighton and beyond will be attempting to inspect the EDO MBM factory in Moulsecoomb to further highlight the factory’s complicity in the murder of innocent civilians around the world.

It has long been known that this local company has links with illegal and immoral arms deals and Smash EDO intend to hold them to account. Indeed a team broke in and successfully decommissioned the factory in January 2009 and then waited to be arrested by the police. At their later trial it was found that their actions were entirely legal which totally undermines the company’s insistence that they operate within English Law.

The two previous inspection attempts have resulted in stiff resistance from Sussex Police, who have refused to investigate war crimes being committed by the company.

This mass action is part of an ongoing “Summer of Resistance” which has seen almost daily actions by protesters against the factory in May and June and which will continue until the end of July.

Protester Howard Stone said “It seems every day we hear of attacks on civilians by fighter jets and drones around the world and I do not find it acceptable that parts to facilitate this are made in my neighbourhood”. SmashEDO wish it to be known that other events that may happen to be  taking place in the city that day are of no interest to the group. Our intention is, as ever, only to disrupt the Arms Industry and those who support its continued existence.

For more information, contact Smash EDO press spokespersons Chloe Marsh or Andrew
Beckett on 07526557436 or see smashedo.org.uk

by smashedo -

Summer of Resistance Callout for Actions

Smash EDO are half way through a Summer of Resistance against EDO/ITT  Exelis. The aim of the summer is to intensify the pressure on the weapons  factory, with as many actions as possible taking place between the 1st of May and the 1st of August. The more groups that take part the more effective it will be, so we need your help!

CALLOUT FOR ACTIONS:

So far, there have been things happening at or around the factory almost every day since the start of the summer campaign. Examples include surprise demos, reading of the names of the dead, a mass demo in town, phone and twitter blockades, pickets and occupations of Barclays, critical mass bike rides and reported night time sabotage at the factory.

This is a renewed call for groups to come and take action against EDO. With less than half of the summer to go, let’s see some actions!

by smashedo -

Remembering Simon Levin

Simon Levin,who had campaigned against EDO for many years, passed away on 24th June 2011 – one year ago

Simon had spent much of his life fighting against injustice. He often spoke about attending pickets during the miners strike when he was a young boy. Simon was an active supporter of the Irish struggle against imperialism and, during the last decade, has been involved in action for Palestine and against the Iraq war. Not only was Simon’s dedication evident in all that he did, his depth of knowledge on a range of subjects was second to few. His impassioned debates were always well researched, proving a difficult andsometimes frustrating opponent in political arguments over a pint late into the night with his friends, as well as to those who represented the oppression he was determined to fight. He was always a delightfully sarcastic thorn in the side of any police presence.

by smashedo -

Reflections on the Tory smear campaign against Smash EDO

Smash EDO is a grassroots response to the EDO MBM factory in Mouslecoomb’s complicity in war crimes – a banner under which people opposed to those crimes can rally. Towards that end Smash EDO is currently organising a Summer of Resistance against EDO MBM.

Over the past few months Brighton and Hove Conservative Party (B&HCP) and, in particular, Robert Nemeth, Secretary and Deputy Chairman (political) of B&HCP and manager of the office of Mike Weatherley, Tory MP for Hove, have engaged in a smear campaign which has attempted to label our campaign as anti-Semitic.

These allegations, made against an anti-militarist campaign by members of the Conservative Party, a political party with a record of racism stretching across its history, from presiding over some of the bloodiest periods of British colonialism, to Enoch Powell and the Monday Club to Thatcher era use of SUS laws and Operation Swamp to the continuation of the locking up of child immigration detainees and Theresa May’s attempts to stop the spouses of migrants gaining British citizenship if they cannot prove their assets. It is a cynical misuse of another culture’s oppression aimed at undermining dissent and political opposition.

We, at Smash EDO, take anti-racism seriously and believe that making false accusations such as these for political ends shows a disrespect for the victims of anti-Semitism and a disregard for the continued need to struggle against racism wherever we find it. We have written this article to deconstruct and analyse the Tory smear campaign against us, not as an act of defensiveness, but in order to highlight the complete cynicism of the Tories who have sought to undermine us.

by smashedo -

Critical Mass against EDO

Smash EDO have called for three months of direct action to close down EDO MBM – From 1st May to 1st August 2012.

Getting ready to ride
Getting ready to ride

Outside Barclays in North Street
Outside Barclays in North Street

Outside Barclays in Preston Circus
Outside Barclays in Preston Circus

Noise demo outside EDO MBM
Noise demo outside EDO MBM

 

A critical mass was held on Wednesday against the EDO arms factory. Cyclists converged on the level and then rode into town.

First stop was Barclays Bank on North Street, a service provider to ITT Exelis, EDO’s parent company. A short picket was held. The mass progressed up to the clocktower and along Queen’s Road and London Road and held another picket of Barclay at Preston Circus.

The mass then started the long slog up the Lewes Road to ITT Exelis where a noise demonstration was held at the factory gates. One crap arrest was made for obstruct police at the factory. The arresting officer told us that he was sure he had the power to arrest he just wasn’t sure “which one yet”. Police also nicked a sound system.

The arrestee was released on police bail at 1.30am.

The arrest today is part of an escalation of policing in the last week or so outside EDO. We need your support. We will be outside the factory, remembering the dead from Somaila to Yemen to Afghanistan, Next Wednesday from 4-6pm – we need your support

by smashedo -

Report of Phone and Twitter blockade

Smash EDO have called for three months of direct action to close down EDO MBM – From 1st May to 1st August 2012.

On Tuesday 12th July a phone blockade of EDO MBM and ITT Exelis was held.

The Brighton factory was bombarded by calls asking them about the ethics of making arms as well as some unwanted pizza deliveries. Sounds like those on the end of the phones got a bit riled telling callers to “get a job” (although there’s no reason people couldn’t have been calling from work”) and “shoot yourself in the head with a gun”, the reply to this was “can you sell me a gun”.

Many twitter users @mentioned @ITTExelis asking about the company’s complicity in war crimes. ITT Exelis, EDO MBM’s parent company, uses its Twitter feed to disseminate PR material about the company, Twitter blockades like this one prevent social networking from being an effective PR tool.

by smashedo -

Letter of support from Boycott from Within

PDF of the letter

Stop Israeli crimes: SmashEDO.

Dear SmashEDO,

We are a group of Israeli citizens, Palestinians and Jews, who are in support of the call for a boycott of Israel. We would like to commend you on the work you do to stop the machinery of murder.

The weapons manufactured by EDO/ITT in Brighton and sold to the Israeli army destroy the lives of countless Palestinians and protect no one. In fact, those who profit from the perpetual war are the enemies of Israelis as well as Palestinians.

In contrast to weapons, what would provide security to all of us in the Middle East is an end to the sale of advanced weapons to Israel. We are grateful for the work you do to bring that about.

Your opposition to the manufacture of weapons at the EDO/ITT factory is an inspiring example of dedication and resourcefulness. EDO/ITT richly deserves the opposition to it and your resistance is a credit to you and your community. Indeed we hope that the inspiration you provide will draw others in your community to your movement until the point where you will finally smash EDO.

Kobi Snitz
for Boycott!