21st September 2006

FACTORY SHUT DOWN

In the early hours of Thursday morning protesters set up blockades outside all three gates of EDO MBM, an arms manufacturer in Home Farm Road, Brighton. All access to the premises has been blocked. Activists used barrels of concrete and bicycle d-locks to set up the blockade.

EDO MBM manufactures weapons components for the Israeli army, who slaughtered over a thousand Lebanese civilians this summer and who are engaged in a murderous assault on the people of Gaza.

Andrew Beckett, press spokesperson for the campaign said ‘we have shut down this factory so that it cannot go on producing armaments to be used against the people of Gaza. We will keep on causing disruption to the factory until it closes down permanently’. Yesterday was the United Nation’s Day of Peace, celebrated by Brighton Council by hoisting the UN flag at the Town Hall. Brighton and Hove is a UN Peace Messenger City.

Sarah Johnson, press spokesperson said ‘it is hypocritical for the council to call this city a Peace Messenger City when local businesses are making a profit out of murder and suffering in the Middle East’ Smash EDO demonstrate every Wednesday at EDO MBM, Home Farm Road.

Notes for Journalists

Brighton & Hove is a UN Peace Messenger City

EDO MBM Technologies Ltd are the sole UK subsidiary of huge U.S arms conglomerate EDO Corp, which was
recently named No. 10 in the Forbes list of 100
fastest growing companies. They supply bomb release
mechanisms to the US and UK armed forces amongst
others. They supply crucial components for Raytheon's Paveway guided bomb system, widely used in the "Shock and Awe" campaign in Iraq.
Campaign against EDO MBM.

EDO MBM makes electrical weapons components for the
Israeli military. EDO MBM manufactures components to be incorporated into the Hellfire missile, which the Israeli army has recently used to attack the civilian population of Gaza. They have organised conferences on the development of UCAVs, unmanned aircraft which are widely used in aerial attacks on Gaza. EDO Corporation, of which EDO MBM Brighton is a wholly owned trading unit, has a direct contract with the Israeli Navy who murdered 10 civilians on a beach near Beit Lahiya, Gaza, earlier this month.

People involved in the anti-EDO campaign include, but are not limited to: local residents, the Brighton Quakers, peace activists, anti-capitalists, Palestine Solidarity groups, human rights groups, trade unionists, academics and students.

The campaign started in August 2004 with a peace camp. It's avowed aim is to expose EDO MBM and their
complicity in war crimes and to remove them from
Brighton.

Contact Andrew Beckett or Sarah Johnson For more
Details

Email - smashedopress@yahoo.co.uk, tel 07875708873
http://www.smashedo.org.uk

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