Smash EDO are calling for autonomous actions against Barclays Bank to force them to stop providing 'market maker' services for ITT Corporation on the NYSE. By performing marker services for ITT Barclays Bank are profiting from EDO's complicity in civilian deaths in Palestine, Afghanistan and Iraq. Barclays are the largest UK investor in the global arms trade. Bankers and institutional investors are the glue that finances the state terror wreaked by the arms trade. Companies like EDO do not operate in a vacuum but are propped up by the networks of corporations and investors which constitute the global capitalist system which puts profit before peace, greed before people.

A flyer is available to use on your local demonstrations. Download it here - PDF | Editable Publisher File

                                                                     Latest News:

                                                         Cambridge Activists Target Barclays

From Indymedia - "A small demo was held by Cambridge Anima against Barclays in Market Sq Cambridge on Friday 30th July 2010. The protest was over Barclays collusion with Brighton based arms component makers EDO that has been the centre of a long running campaign to shut the factory." See http://cambridgeanima.webs.com/apps/blog/ for more details

                                                  Boris' Barclays Bikes targeted in London

Anti Arms Trade activists worked overnight to cover London's new Barclays Bikes with stickers stating the Banking giant's involvement in the global arms trade.

Almost 4000 of the stickers were placed on bikes all over the city last night. They were in the same shade of blue and in the same font that Barclays use and were so designed to blend in with the shameless advertising disgracing every single one of the bikes.

The messages were "INVESTS IN CLUSTER BOMBS. OFFERS LOANS FOR NEW LIMBS" - "DOESN'T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT YOU" - "£20M INVESTMENT IN BIKES. £7300M INVESTMENT IN BOMBS" - "FUNDING DEPLETED URANIUM BIRTH DEFECTS IN IRAQ" and "INVESTS £7.3 BILLION IN THE ARMS TRADE".

A spokesperson for Transport for London (TfL) claimed that only around 100 bikes had been targeted but activists say this is a gross understatement, claiming to have distributed almost 4000 stickers. 

At the Press launch this morning Barclays chairman Magnus Agius was asked his opinion on the stickers, to which he replied "I have nothing to say". Funny that.

The bikes, which were launched in August and operate on a pay-as-you-go scheme, are covered in Barclays branding. The new wider cycle lanes launched across London recently are called 'Barclays Cycle Superhighways' and are painted in Barclays trademark cyan. Campaigners feel that, though the bikes are a step in the right direction, Barclays have exploited the scheme to be one big advertising campaign. No other city worldwide with similar schemes has been fully sponsored by one company. It is hoped the stickers will raise awareness of Barclays position as the largest investor in the arms trade in the world. 

Later, in Leicester Square at a rally by Barclays to launch the bike scheme several protesters stormed the music stage with banners reading; "Barclays finances the arms trade".

DEMO REPORT Saturday 22nd May Picket of Barclays, Brighton - A picket and stall was held outside Barclays on the 22nd May:

Manchester Barclays Picket - Manchester's Target Brimar campaign held a picket and leafletting outside the Barclays Bank in Mosley Street in Manchester on 17th May 2010 in support of the EDO decommissioners and the campaign to persuade Barclay to stop providing market maker services to ITT.

 download the Target Barclays flyer here - PDF | Editable Publisher File

NOTES:

Barclays Banks are the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) market maker for ITT Corporation. ITT Corporation own EDO MBM/ITT in Brighton.

There has been a five year long campaign of direct action against EDO MBM/ITT aimed at persuading them to stop producing weapons components in Brighton. EDO's components are used by the US and UK in Iraq and Afghanistan and Israel in Palestine.

As ITT?s market maker, Barclays act as a ?middle man?, purchasing shares from a seller and holding them until such a time as a buyer becomes available. This ensures the stability of ITT?s share price by allowing shareholders to sell off their assets at any time, even when a a buyer is not immediately available, and vice versa. Barclays also profits from this enterprise by selling ITT?s shares at a small markup, which nevertheless generates a considerable income when spread across large sales.

For more information on 'market makers' click here.

Barclays are the largest UK investor in the arms trade. For more information on Barclays Bank's arms trade investments see War on Want's report, 'Banking on Bloodshed'

For other details see Smash Edo's news page or email smashedo@riseup.net You can report your actions (securely) at www.indymedia.org.uk

A flyer is available to use on your local demonstrations. Download it here - PDF | Editable Publisher File