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28th June 2007
Shout it from the Rooftops; Lebanon War Protesters Found Not
Guilty
Two anti war activists who scaled the walls of Brighton arms
dealers EDO MBM in protest against the Israeli bombardment of
Lebanon last August have
been found not guilty of Aggravated Trespass.
The action took place after reports of mounting civilian casualties
in Lebanon. EDO MBM supply weapons components to the Israeli military
including arming units for fighter jets used in Lebanon. The campaigners
hung a banner from the roof reading ’16 CHILDREN KILLED IN
QANA, LEBANON.
EDO PROFITS FROM MURDER’.
During the case Director of EDO MBM Peter Davies, contradicting
his own company’s website, denied that the company was acting
unlawfully, or had supplied components to the Israeli military,
and said that even if they had done, it would not be wrong, even
if these components had been used in war crimes in Lebanon.
The District Judge refused to consider arguments showing links
between the company and war crimes but found that the two protesters
could not have heard police warnings to come down from the roof,
and did not believe the Crown’s argument that the two intended
to disrupt the operation of the factory. She said that the occupation
of the roof was clearly a publicity stunt designed to attract
media attention and had been very successful in doing so, having
gained international coverage in the UK, France, Germany, the
USA and even Iran.
The rooftop occupation of EDO’s bomb factory was the third
since 2004 where protesters have been acquitted of all criminal
charges, and found to be legally on the roof. There have now been
nearly thirty failed prosecutions of campaigners protesting against
EDO MBM in Brighton.
Michael Heyman, one of the protesters, said ‘the court’s
decision today proves that peaceful protest is not a crime, Sussex
Police’s attempts to stifle protest have failed yet again.’
For more info call 07875708873 or email smashedopress@yahoo.co.uk
www.smashedo.org.uk
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
once named No. 10 in the Forbes list of 100 fastest growing companies
(in 2006 they were in the Forbes top 10 losers list). 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.
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 armed forces and navy.
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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