Anti-militarism
Peace and anti-war news.
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E.ON withdraws from careers fairs due to persistent protests
12-11-2008 18:54
E.ON has withdrawn from University Careers Fairs run by AIESEC following a string of protests around the country. E.ON did not show up at Birmingham today (12th Nov). The protesters object to E.ON wanting to develop new coal fired power stations, such as at Kingsnorth - the target of this summers Climate Camp. However E.ON cannot avoid the protests by avoiding careers fairs - expect more fun during 48 hours of action against E.ON and new coal on the 28/29 November.
Students have visited careers fairs to protest about the presence of parts of the arms and fossil fuel industries. Climate chaos related companies targeted include RBS (the oil and gas bank), BP and Shell. The arms industry representatives include the Army, B.Ae, Qinetiq and Rolls Royce. Careers fairs have been targeted in Aston, Birmingham ( 2 ), Bristol, Cambridge ( 2 | 3 ), Durham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Imperial College London, Kings College London, Leeds, Liverpool, Loughborough, Manchester ( 2 | 3 ), Nottingham ( 2 | 3 ), Oxford ( 2 ), Sheffield, Southampton, Warwick and York. More reports are available from People and Planet.
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Solidarity Actions in the West Bank, Gaza and the UK
29-10-2008 20:40
On 29th October 2008, the 60th anniversary of massacres in the Palestinian villages of Safsaf, al-Dawayima and Kafr Qasim, British activists were aboard the Dignity which sailed into Gaza. The boat which set sail from Cyprus the day before, was the second succesful attempt by the Free Gaza Movement to break the siege of Gaza, which has been imposed since last year. Carrying a contingent of doctors and medicines ,including cough mixtures which are no longer available in Gaza, the activists are set to meet up with fellow activists who have been in Gaza since the first sailing in August 2008.
In the West Bank, a delegation from the Brighton Tubas Region Friendship and Solidarity Group had arrived in the Tubas Region of the Occupied West Bank a week earlier. Reports sent home from the delegation record incidents such as attacks by Settlers, continued land theft, and enforced water shortages. The group which aims to highlight Israeli war crimes against Palestinians in the region, raise awareness about life under occupation and create practical solidarity links between grassroots organisations in Brighton and Tubas region, is currently assisting with the olive harvest at the village of Al Masra.
links:Free Gaza Movement |News from the Brighton-Tubas Friendship and Solidarity Group in the West Bank| Jordan Valley Solidarity| Palestine Solidarity Campaign | International Solidarity Movement in Palestine | Boycott Israeli Goods Campaign | Stop the Wall in PalestineBrighton group Joins Olive Harvest Campaign in Palestine
28-10-2008 17:59
A delegation of eight people from Brighton arrived in the Tubas region of occupied Palestine last week. The delegation is part of the project by the Brighton-Tubas Friendship and Solidarity Group. The group's aims are to highlight Israeli war crimes against Palestinians in the region, raise awareness about life under occupation and create practical solidarity links between grassroots organisations in Brighton and Tubas region. Members of the delegation are currently visiting the threatened village of Al Masra to assist them with their olive harvest.
On Tuesday 28th the group was attacked by a group of Israeli settlers who proceeded to steal olives from the farmers the group was accompanying. One of the settlers was the same man who had murdered a teenage boy in the village earlier this year.
Delegation Report Back Meeting at 7pm at the Friends Meeting House, Ship St, Brighton
Reports from the Brighton Tubas Group: One Day the Chains Must be Broken| IDF shoot man in El Far'a refugee camp| Land Confiscation in Atoof | Living in the Shadow of Al Hamra | Struggle for Survival in Al Hadidya | Ethnic Cleansing in Al Farisiya| Military repression in Atoof | Said Lataba – After 31 Years in Prison, Sends A Message of Peace and Humanity| Makhool; After Hadidya we are Next
Press Releases from the Brighton-Tubas Solidarity Group:Brighton Delegation Arrives in Palestine|Sussex University Students make Links with Palestinians Under Occupation|Brighton Delegation joins Olive Harvest in Al Masra| Brighton-Tubas delegation and Palestinian farmers attacked by Israeli settlers|Links: Jordan Valley Solidarity| Palestine Solidarity Campaign | International Solidarity Movement in Palestine | Boycott Israeli Goods Campaign | Stop the Wall in Palestine
Raynesway Blockaders in Court
28-10-2008 16:57
Ten activists arrested following a blockade of the Rolls Royce Raynesway factory in Derby in April were in court last week. Eight were acquitted with two being found guilty. Seven of the eight found not guilty had been locked to concrete blocks outside the facility with the eighth having driven them there. The two found guilty had been locked onto the gates. All had been charged with aggravated trespass, seemingly an error on the CPS' part.
The court case comes shortly before Derby City Council is to hear a planning application from Rolls Royce to develop its site at Raynesway and a new campaign, dubbed Power Through Wind Not Weapons has been launched to coordinate protests against the factory which produces engines for nuclear submarines (which carry Trident missiles). Protests have been held outside the factory monthly, with one taking place immediately prior to the court case.
Newswire: Eight Acquitted After Rolls Royce Blockade | Some guilty some not at Derby court anti-nuclear defendants | Urgent update - 'power through wind not weapons campaign' needs you to get involved | Trident on trial: Judge defends nuclear proliferators Rolls Royce | Notts Indymedia Anti-militarism topic page
Previous Feature: Trident Activists Blockade Rolls Royce in Derby | Protesters take action at Derby nuclear plant | Derbyshire police go over the top again
Links: Power Through Wind Not Weapons | Trident Ploughshares
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Aldermaston AWE is blockaded
27-10-2008 16:38
More than 30 people were arrested. Several people mounted a tripod which blocked the A340 for two hours; several others, who were locked together with arm tubes, blockaded the construction gate for five hours. People came from far and wide for the blockade - there were representatives from Norway, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France, Scotland, Wales, Bradford and Plymouth, as well as a Buddhist monk and nun who walked to Aldermaston from London.
The blockade of Aldermaston comes in the wake of several other campaigns against arms manufacturers in the UK. In Brighton, on 15th October, a mass protest took place against EDO MBM/ITT. Meanwhile, last week in Bristol, a number of protesters mounted a roof-top protest against Raytheon. Two of the protesters stayed on the roof for some 38 hours.
Report and photos from Aldermaston: 1 | 2
Background on Aldermaston: UN disarmament week | Recent safety problems | CND PR on Trident replacement | Chronology of Trident replacement
Reports from Bristol: 1 (with pics) | 2 | 3 (Video from youtube)
Background on Raytheon: 1 | 2 | 3
Stop the War activist in court
27-10-2008 13:50
On Thursday 23rd October, Nottingham Crown Court rejected the appeal against the conviction of Henry Twigger. Henry was found guilty of Criminal Damage in July, for painting anti-war slogans on the Army Careers Office at the Victoria Centre, in Milton Street, Nottingham.
Thursday’s hearing was about appealing this conviction. Henry's main plan was to point to the 'lawful excuse' provided for in 5.2.B. of the Criminal Damage Act 1971. The idea, as it is contained within a number of pieces of law, is to claim necessity or committing a crime to prevent a greater one. Mr Chris Coverdale from the Campaign to Make Wars History had turned out to assist Henry, but his evidence was disallowed.
Henry says he won't pay the fines and costs because it 'aids and abets' the system he's protesting about.
Grim reapers target careers fair
24-10-2008 07:31
Students at the University of Nottingham protested "unethical career corporatism" at the university's careers fair on Monday and Tuesday. Dressed as grim reapers, students payed a visit to arms dealers BAE Systems, Rolls Royce and Qinetiq, as well as energy giants E.On and BP. Leaflets detailing the crimes of some of the companies were hounded out and the protesters even had a stall next to the Army's stall.
The protesters aimed to highlight the hypocrisy of organisers, AIESEC, who claim to embody "Peace and fulfillment of humankind's potential" whilst giving a platform to arms dealers, as well as to "oppose the general presence of mechanisms of the capitalist death machine." Their success was highlighted by the noteable absence of several targetted companies on the second day of the fair.
Newswire: Students Target Unethical Career Corporatism | Shell Shuts Up | Students Call For An End To University Involvement In The Arms Industry | Notts Indymedia Anti-militarism topic page
Previous Feature: Protests as arms dealers attend careersfair
Anti-Arms Protesters Shut ITT
15-10-2008 10:12
A mass protest against Brighton-based arms manufacturers EDO MBM/ITT took place on 15 October, 2008. Organised by the Smash EDO campaign, the event was called Shut ITT! and was the third such demonstration this year. Last June, Brighton saw the Carnival Against the Arms Trade, organised by Smash EDO too.
As the 400-strong march was prevented by police from reaching the EDO factory, 40 bottles of red paint were thrown over the back fence by a group of protesters who split off. The 'bomb factory' was reportedly shut down for the day. At least 10 people were arrested and some injured from police violence, including a photographer.
Reports: Full timeline | Press releases: 1 | 2 | Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |5 |6
More: FITwatchers perspective | Message from Smash EDO
Shut ITT!
07-10-2008 14:16
Every bomb that is dropped and every bullet that is fired in the name of this war of terror has to be made somewhere and wherever that is it can be resisted...
Since 2001 over a million people have been killed worldwide by the US-UK War of Terror. EDO MBM/ITT supply weapons components for the US-UK war machine. Smash EDO has been campaigning for four and a half years to close down EDO.
The movement against EDO MBM/ITT is growing, in June this year over 600 people came from around the country to the ‘Carnival Against the Arms Trade’. The Carnival managed to reach the Brighton bomb factory despite police attempts to corral the march
On October 15th Smash EDO are planning another mass demonstration against the Brighton bomb builders [Press Release]
Resources: Webpage for the Shut ITT Demonstration - Info on accomodation and transport | Open Letter to Sussex Police| Campaigners say Shut ITT | More Info about the Smash EDO Campaign (pdf) | Info about the Merger with ITT (pdf)
Newswire: Sussex Police set up CCTV at Falmer Station for Shut ITT demo | Fitwatch at EDO | Links: Smash EDO | EDO MBM | Smash EDO Indymedia Topic Page| SchNEWS
Previous features: Smash EDO Carnival Against the Arm Trade - Timeline | Carnival Against the Arms Trade | Marie Vesco RIP |On the Verge - The Film They Tried to Ban |Singers Arrested Outside Arms Factory | Smash EDO Action Camp: Shut down the Brighton bomb builders | Lebanon War protesters - Not Guilty! | EDO CORP: 2006 Alternative Report | 2007 Is The Year To Shut EDO Down | EDO MBM Injunction crumbles | EDO MBM desperate to stop protests as resistance increases | Smash EDO Take On The Law | Harassment Law Used Against Anti-War Campaigners | Campaign to Smash Edo | Arms company shut down
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Carmel-Agrexco shut down as part of 'Boycott Israeli Goods' week of action
28-09-2008 05:58
The day before, at about 3:30am, activists with tipper trucks had dumped builders rubble across both gates of the depot. Protests against the sale of Israeli produce from occupied Palestinian land also took place outside supermarkets around the country, which account for 60% of Carmel-Agrexco's total exports.
Previous Actions: Carmel Agrexco's Depot Shut Down in Commemoration of the Nakba | Fortress Carmel Agrexco breached by Peace Activists | Video - Carmel Agrexco protest during Camp for Climate Action | Weekend of Action Against Carmel Agrexco | Activists Blockade Carmel-Agrexco's UK Headquarters for the Third Time | International Actions against Israeli Apartheid
Further reading: Text of letter to Carmel-Agrexco | Report on Carmel's involvement in the Jordan Valley | War on Want's report: Profiting from the Occupation
