The ten people were held for up to thirty hours and eight people had
their houses raided. Two laptops, a personal computer, mobile phones and clothes
were confiscated. The police applied for a twelve hour extension of the 24 hour
maximum period of detention. Despite this police failed to press any charges.
Many of those detained at the demonstration had been arrested for minor, non-imprisonable
offences. Smash EDO press spokesman Andrew Beckett said 'Sussex Police have made
statements in the media attempting to demonise those arrested. The fact they have
all been bailed without charge suggests the police have little evidence against
them.' Campaign spokeswoman Chloe Marsh said 'Wednesdays protest was a resounding
success for the campaign. The campaign will continue until EDO closes down.'
Notes
for Journalists
THE CARNIVAL AGAINST THE ARMS TRADE 600 people participated
in The Carnival Against the Arms Trade on Wednesday June 4th which marched from
the Level to EDO MBM/ITT despite attempts at police repression. More info about
the Carnival and a flyer for the event can be found at www.smashedo.org.uk/carnival
THE FILM
On the Verge is an independent film about the SMASH EDO
Campaign “In 2004 a group of Brighton peace campaigners began to bang pot and
pans outside their local arms manufacturers EDO MBM in disgust of their part in
the Iraq war. This has grown into the Smash EDO campaign, which has cost the company
millions, been the subject of large scale police operations and has tested the
right to protest in the UK.Using activist, police and CCTV footage plus interviews
with those involved in the campaign, 'On The Verge' tells the story of one of
the most persistent and imaginative campaigns to emerge out of the UK's anti-war
movement and direct action scene.”
The Company
EDO MBM Technologies
Ltd are the sole UK subsidiary of huge U.S weapons manufacturer EDO Corp.From
their base in Moulescoombe Brighton, EDO MBM manufacture vital parts for the Hellfire
and Paveway weapons systems,laserguided missilesused extensively in Iraq, Lebanon,
Palestine and Somalia. EDO Corp were recently acquired by ITT in a multi-billion
pound deal. ITT's links to fascism go back to the 1930s. The founder Sosthenes
Behn was the first foreign businessman received by Hitler after his seizure of
power.
The Campaign
There has been active campaign against the presence
o f EDO MBM in Brighton since the outbreak of the Iraq war.Campaigners include
students, Quakers ,Palestine solidarity activists, anti-capitalists and academics.
Despite an injunction under the protection of harassment act (which failed) and
over forty arrests the campaign is still going strong.Their avowed aim is to expose
EDO MBM and their complicity in war crimes and to remove them from Brighton. They
hold regular weekly demos outside the Moulescoombe factory on Wednesday's between
4 and 6.
THE FILM
On the Verge is an independent film about the
SMASH EDO Campaign “In 2004 a group of Brighton peace campaigners began to bang
pot and pans outside their local arms manufacturers EDO MBM in disgust of their
part in the Iraq war. This has grown into the Smash EDO campaign, which has cost
the company millions, been the subject of large scale police operations and has
tested the right to protest in the UK.Using activist, police and CCTV footage
plus interviews with those involved in the campaign, 'On The Verge' tells the
story of one of the most persistent and imaginative campaigns to emerge out of
the UK's anti-war movement and direct action scene.”
