Smash EDO plan Brighton protest during jubilee weekend (From The Argus)

So, remind me again of what SmashEDO are supposed to be all about ...? Something about protesting a factory that makes parts which are sold to other manufacturers who then make weapons that are sold to Israel?

SmashEDO do not represent the residents of this city ( in fact most of their group are bused in for their protests ). It's about time they respected the wishes of those of us that live here ( and indeed were born here ). We don't want this demo on the extended weekend ( regardless of the reason for the extension ). GO AWAY !!!!! You are nothing but a group of selfish troublemakers who have no interest in those people who live in this wonderful city. As for Councillor Duncan's statements - well if there was no other reason not to vote Green this is a very real reason to kick them out.

To SmashEDO - why do you not go and protest in Reading, Crawley, Basingstoke, Wells - all have far bigger arms companies ? Oh, I know, because they are hardly as nice as a day by the seaside !!!! Idiots each and every one of you. The police should use whatever heavy handed tactics are required to quell and subdue them.

"The group has campaigned since 2005 to close the EDO factory "

Seven years. Not exactly a huge success story, is it? Anyone care to explain why this jolly will have any more effect than any of the others?

That's a actually a novel idea, protesting when all the workers have got the day off and the factory's shut.

Fight Back wrote:
SmashEDO do not represent the residents of this city ( in fact most of their group are bused in for their protests ). It's about time they respected the wishes of those of us that live here ( and indeed were born here ). We don't want this demo on the extended weekend ( regardless of the reason for the extension ). GO AWAY !!!!! You are nothing but a group of selfish troublemakers who have no interest in those people who live in this wonderful city. As for Councillor Duncan's statements - well if there was no other reason not to vote Green this is a very real reason to kick them out.

To SmashEDO - why do you not go and protest in Reading, Crawley, Basingstoke, Wells - all have far bigger arms companies ? Oh, I know, because they are hardly as nice as a day by the seaside !!!! Idiots each and every one of you. The police should use whatever heavy handed tactics are required to quell and subdue them.

Rock on (Brothers)!

Fight Back: I hardly think that the EDO factory represents the ideals of the majority of residents in this city either, and people have a right to demonstrate and protest if they want to show their views.

I am, however, very much against the stance that the Smash EDO organisers have taken in previous years of not co-operating with police. It is the lack of co-operation that leads to disproportionate policing, widespread disruption and a marked feeling of 'us and them'. Protestors end up feeling victimised and wrongly criminalised, police have a huge effort to divert many of their resources, often needlessly, and the general public end up frustrated and in many cases feeling threatened. (Threatened by the extreme police presence all around the city more than by the protestors, who most people are unlikely to even come across!)

If the police are aware in advance of the likely numbers of protestors and of the routes that they will take, they can take according action and have no need to be heavy handed; we will all be able to carry on spending our bank holiday however we choose.

I know that the police have been really proactive in trying to establish dialogue with the protestors and I hope that this year the Smash EDO organisers are prepared to work with them. Showing that they are prepared to work with the police and with other organisations around the city can surely only be a good thing. If they do this the public in general are more likely to pay some attention to the sentiments behind their protest rather than dismissing them as mindless idiots which, Fight Back, in some respects I think is fair enough based on the disruption in previous years.

I agree with the sentiments of Smash EDO and I'm all for direct action, but I don't see any value or point in protest organisers deliberately working in opposition to the police when there is opportunity to do otherwise.

Wow, this bunch certainly know how to grab the headlines. I wonder how many would bother to turn up if it wasn't so hyped up by the media? Starve them of the oxygen of publicity and this bunch of misguided people will fade away. Do us a favour Argus and swith off their constant flow of oxygen!

I agree with Pete - don't give them air time and then rent-a-mob will have nothing to latch on to. Any peaceful protest these days gets hijacked by a scum element who just want to cause trouble. Having had first hand experience of this, my message to them would be: go get a wash, go get a job and find some decent way to make your point....!

Fight Back wrote:
SmashEDO do not represent the residents of this city ( in fact most of their group are bused in for their protests ). It's about time they respected the wishes of those of us that live here ( and indeed were born here ). We don't want this demo on the extended weekend ( regardless of the reason for the extension ). GO AWAY !!!!! You are nothing but a group of selfish troublemakers who have no interest in those people who live in this wonderful city. As for Councillor Duncan's statements - well if there was no other reason not to vote Green this is a very real reason to kick them out.

To SmashEDO - why do you not go and protest in Reading, Crawley, Basingstoke, Wells - all have far bigger arms companies ? Oh, I know, because they are hardly as nice as a day by the seaside !!!! Idiots each and every one of you. The police should use whatever heavy handed tactics are required to quell and subdue them.

agree 100%. what a waste of oxygen they are. as you say, a nice jolly to the seaside, to protest against a factory which will be closed. D'oh!!!!!

davyboy wrote:

Fight Back wrote:
SmashEDO do not represent the residents of this city ( in fact most of their group are bused in for their protests ). It's about time they respected the wishes of those of us that live here ( and indeed were born here ). We don't want this demo on the extended weekend ( regardless of the reason for the extension ). GO AWAY !!!!! You are nothing but a group of selfish troublemakers who have no interest in those people who live in this wonderful city. As for Councillor Duncan's statements - well if there was no other reason not to vote Green this is a very real reason to kick them out.

To SmashEDO - why do you not go and protest in Reading, Crawley, Basingstoke, Wells - all have far bigger arms companies ? Oh, I know, because they are hardly as nice as a day by the seaside !!!! Idiots each and every one of you. The police should use whatever heavy handed tactics are required to quell and subdue them.

agree 100%. what a waste of oxygen they are. as you say, a nice jolly to the seaside, to protest against a factory which will be closed. D'oh!!!!!

I agree 100% with your post.

Thank goodness our councillors and mp will be happy that Brighton is being tormented by these protesters. Our green politicos love nothing more than protesters disrupting council tax payers lives. Their wishes will be met. Fab!

it's news to me that the Queen will be celebrating her Diamond Jubilee in Brighton! What a coup for the city. Lets hope the anti-smash-EDO commenters (above) will be out in force with their Union Jacks and bulldogs to show her their support?

salty_pete wrote:
Wow, this bunch certainly know how to grab the headlines. I wonder how many would bother to turn up if it wasn't so hyped up by the media? Starve them of the oxygen of publicity and this bunch of misguided people will fade away. Do us a favour Argus and swith off their constant flow of oxygen!

This is kind of an obvious statement, Salty Pete. The point of direct action is to get noticed and get your views across and draw attention to whatever you are demonstrating against. Of course they wouldn't bother doing it if it didn't attract any publicity; what would be the point?

You have done a good job of answering Fight Back's question. Why Brighton rather than the other places Fight Back has listed? Why on a bank holiday? Largely to attract the maximum amount of attention and publicity!

Smash Eco want to smash up the factory.
Obviously mob rule can't be allowed to happen.
Big problem running round Brighton like idiots is not really helping anybody.
Wonder if Eod could get Sussex police some discounts on weapons fo the helicopter.
Or they could invite the israei's over for the weekend give the Arabs a break and smash Eco could find out what oppression is all about first hand it's win win.

billy goat-gruff wrote:
it's news to me that the Queen will be celebrating her Diamond Jubilee in Brighton! What a coup for the city. Lets hope the anti-smash-EDO commenters (above) will be out in force with their Union Jacks and bulldogs to show her their support?

I suspect most people will only want to enjoy a peaceful extended weekend whatever the reason for the extra day. The anti-SmashEDO commenter's ( such as me ) are just fed up with a bunch of yobs smashing up our city, being cowards by wearing masks, affecting local businesses and generally making a pain of themselves. They pick here not for political reasons but because they want a nice day out. Most don't even live in the city. If they were serious about their protest they would at least speak to the police but no, they are either too stupid to do so or it doesn't suit their "anarchy" cause. Strange how Albion fans managed to hold a number of protests without trouble ( or a heavy police presence ) AND get their aim of a stadium while SmashEDO have not achieved their aim despite years of protest. They might get somewhere if they got the residents of the city on their side but their current tactics won't ever do that. They appear too stupid and blinded by their aim for a fight to realise that.

My understanding is that EDO produce the pin for a bomb release mechanism - hardly 'streams of armaments pouring out of a factory in Brighton' which Smash EDO like to portray it as.

The weapon that has caused the most death and destruction since the last war is the AK-47, popularly known as the Kalasnikov. This weapon has been used by repressive governments and terrorist groups for decades - why is there no 'Smash AK-47' group protesting outside the factories that produce these weapons in their millions? Probably because they would get a good kicking from the local police if they did!

Now let me get 'rent-a-causes' logic straight - it is OK for Moslems to kill Moslems (Syria, North Africa), Moslems to kill Christians (Ivory Coast), Moslems to Kill Jews, all using Russian weapons, but not for Israelis to buy a bomb release pin (if indeed they do buy off EDO).

What a bunch of hypocrites Smash EDO are and as for the Greens, they are no more than a bunch of busybodies and opportunists who want a bit of power in order to push the rest of us around without taking on the responsibility that goes with it - and I rather think we have more than enough of those kind as it is.

Shinypurpleshadow wrote:

salty_pete wrote: Wow, this bunch certainly know how to grab the headlines. I wonder how many would bother to turn up if it wasn't so hyped up by the media? Starve them of the oxygen of publicity and this bunch of misguided people will fade away. Do us a favour Argus and swith off their constant flow of oxygen!

This is kind of an obvious statement, Salty Pete. The point of direct action is to get noticed and get your views across and draw attention to whatever you are demonstrating against. Of course they wouldn't bother doing it if it didn't attract any publicity; what would be the point? You have done a good job of answering Fight Back's question. Why Brighton rather than the other places Fight Back has listed? Why on a bank holiday? Largely to attract the maximum amount of attention and publicity!

They've been at it since 2005 without any success whatsoever. The only publicity they are getting is that they are therefore a bunch of abject failures. Anyway, what publicity? I've never seen the national press covering this story. Only the Argus, and we all know about it anyway. The only reason they are doing this is to have a nice day out by the seaside and dance on cafe roofs. If they were serious why do they not protest where it matters, and where the country would notice, not some little seaside resort?

Why don't residents of nearby Moulescoombe get together and set up tables and celebrate the long weekend outside the gates of Eon; in their hundreds and enjoying the holiday. They could send "rentamob" packing, and enjoy living in a society that still helps the "vunerable" and allows a good lifestyle to all.

Number Six wrote:
"The group has campaigned since 2005 to close the EDO factory "

Seven years. Not exactly a huge success story, is it? Anyone care to explain why this jolly will have any more effect than any of the others?

That's a actually a novel idea, protesting when all the workers have got the day off and the factory's shut.

Reminds me of the time that there was an anti-US protest in Edinburgh. Protestors marched on the US consulate there...on 4th July. All the staff were taking the day off for Independence Day (why they had to take a day off to go and see a rubbish film, I don't know.)

P.S. The above part in brackets was a joke, OK?

Helmut Polisher wrote:

davyboy wrote:

Fight Back wrote:
SmashEDO do not represent the residents of this city ( in fact most of their group are bused in for their protests ). It's about time they respected the wishes of those of us that live here ( and indeed were born here ). We don't want this demo on the extended weekend ( regardless of the reason for the extension ). GO AWAY !!!!! You are nothing but a group of selfish troublemakers who have no interest in those people who live in this wonderful city. As for Councillor Duncan's statements - well if there was no other reason not to vote Green this is a very real reason to kick them out.

To SmashEDO - why do you not go and protest in Reading, Crawley, Basingstoke, Wells - all have far bigger arms companies ? Oh, I know, because they are hardly as nice as a day by the seaside !!!! Idiots each and every one of you. The police should use whatever heavy handed tactics are required to quell and subdue them.

agree 100%. what a waste of oxygen they are. as you say, a nice jolly to the seaside, to protest against a factory which will be closed. D'oh!!!!!

I agree 100% with your post.

I totally agree as well, get rid of these troublemakers by whatever means necessary.

mnairb wrote:
My understanding is that EDO produce the pin for a bomb release mechanism - hardly 'streams of armaments pouring out of a factory in Brighton' which Smash EDO like to portray it as. The weapon that has caused the most death and destruction since the last war is the AK-47, popularly known as the Kalasnikov. This weapon has been used by repressive governments and terrorist groups for decades - why is there no 'Smash AK-47' group protesting outside the factories that produce these weapons in their millions? Probably because they would get a good kicking from the local police if they did! Now let me get 'rent-a-causes' logic straight - it is OK for Moslems to kill Moslems (Syria, North Africa), Moslems to kill Christians (Ivory Coast), Moslems to Kill Jews, all using Russian weapons, but not for Israelis to buy a bomb release pin (if indeed they do buy off EDO). What a bunch of hypocrites Smash EDO are and as for the Greens, they are no more than a bunch of busybodies and opportunists who want a bit of power in order to push the rest of us around without taking on the responsibility that goes with it - and I rather think we have more than enough of those kind as it is.

This is all highly confusing, thousands died in the second war war to insure they had the right to protest, they also fought to stop the murdering jews. Now Isreal is buying bits to defend themselves to defend themselves and they are trying to stop it. Cannot fiqure it out.

MuammarQaddafi wrote:
So, remind me again of what SmashEDO are supposed to be all about ...? Something about protesting a factory that makes parts which are sold to other manufacturers who then make weapons that are sold to Israel?

No they make a pin that is sold to go into manufacture of the safety mechanism, that stops the trigger being activated that would allow a bomb to be deployed - its nearly even more distant than the locations SmashEDO assemble at in relation to the factory they are supposedly protesting against. Which is why the residents of Moulscombe could very safely and happily have a party outside the factory gates.

I fully support this. This factory bomb making factory has to be stopped.
As for the corrupt Sussex Police, no doubt they'll wrongly arrest and assault these demonstrators as they have done in the past.

Kid Neewiper wrote:
I fully support this. This factory bomb making factory has to be stopped.
As for the corrupt Sussex Police, no doubt they'll wrongly arrest and assault these demonstrators as they have done in the past.

IT DOESN'T MAKE BOMBS !!!!!!!!
And what about the "protesters" who cover their faces and carry weapons such as golf clubs ??????

Kid Neewiper wrote:
I fully support this. This factory bomb making factory has to be stopped.
As for the corrupt Sussex Police, no doubt they'll wrongly arrest and assault these demonstrators as they have done in the past.

And no doubt you will keep on logging in under different names to keep spewing out your anti police bile.

The planned demonstration against Brighton’s EDO factory, where essential components of arms sold to Israel, for use against Palestine (perhaps also Iran, when the Israelis launch their anticipated attack?), deserves the full support of us all. Councillor Theobald and his allies, reciting their routine objections that ‘Brighton is a holiday centre’, that the enjoyment of residents and visitors will be disturbed, that the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations must not be sidelined … and finally, that the local population (especially local ‘business men’) benefit from EDO’s presence – as do the workforce employed in the factory, fails to comprehend the basic purpose of the planned ‘Summer of Resistance’ event.

Unfortunately, the critics are correct. My guess is that the overwhelming majority of locals are unaware of the existence of EDO; those that are possibly have ‘no opinion’ on the question. That’s exactly why the demonstration is so necessary! Remember a little history …. during the last century, women marched in the streets throughout the realm, demanding the right to vote. At first, the majority of women, (let alone men!) didn’t support the suffragettes and their ‘demonstrations’ (not always as ‘peaceful’ as current press stories report) … but the women kept on battling and eventually won.

Of course, not all demonstrations have successful outcomes – just a few years ago, my family and I marched with two million others against the impending war in Iraq, but the majority of the population didn’t support us. Before that, our fathers (and mothers) marched against Hitler and Mussolini destroying democracy in Spain, but were equally unsuccessful, leading eventually to the Munich agreement, the handing over of Czechoslovakia to the Nazis, and eventually the Second World War. It is precisely because most do not understand the dangers of this arms traffic that it will be allowed to continue – that’s why demonstrations are so necessary … providing the opportunity for leaflet distribution and conversations, helping ‘educate’ the wider population.

So although the marchers might upset the local Tories and their LibDem and Labour ‘allies’, the issues raised by the campaign are very much ‘life and death’ matters – certainly of much greater importance to us all than celebrating the outdated feudal institution that belonged in the dustbin of history several centuries ago.

Any arms sold to Israel, ( I don't know who EDO sells to), would be used for self defence.

Israel has both a moral & legal right to defend its civilian population from the likes of hamas, who under their charter are committed to destroying Israel. Remember hamas have fired ,12,000 + rockets at Israeli civilians.

anubis wrote:
The planned demonstration against Brighton’s EDO factory, where essential components of arms sold to Israel, for use against Palestine (perhaps also Iran, when the Israelis launch their anticipated attack?), deserves the full support of us all. Councillor Theobald and his allies, reciting their routine objections that ‘Brighton is a holiday centre’, that the enjoyment of residents and visitors will be disturbed, that the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations must not be sidelined … and finally, that the local population (especially local ‘business men’) benefit from EDO’s presence – as do the workforce employed in the factory, fails to comprehend the basic purpose of the planned ‘Summer of Resistance’ event.

Unfortunately, the critics are correct. My guess is that the overwhelming majority of locals are unaware of the existence of EDO; those that are possibly have ‘no opinion’ on the question. That’s exactly why the demonstration is so necessary! Remember a little history …. during the last century, women marched in the streets throughout the realm, demanding the right to vote. At first, the majority of women, (let alone men!) didn’t support the suffragettes and their ‘demonstrations’ (not always as ‘peaceful’ as current press stories report) … but the women kept on battling and eventually won.

Of course, not all demonstrations have successful outcomes – just a few years ago, my family and I marched with two million others against the impending war in Iraq, but the majority of the population didn’t support us. Before that, our fathers (and mothers) marched against Hitler and Mussolini destroying democracy in Spain, but were equally unsuccessful, leading eventually to the Munich agreement, the handing over of Czechoslovakia to the Nazis, and eventually the Second World War. It is precisely because most do not understand the dangers of this arms traffic that it will be allowed to continue – that’s why demonstrations are so necessary … providing the opportunity for leaflet distribution and conversations, helping ‘educate’ the wider population.

So although the marchers might upset the local Tories and their LibDem and Labour ‘allies’, the issues raised by the campaign are very much ‘life and death’ matters – certainly of much greater importance to us all than celebrating the outdated feudal institution that belonged in the dustbin of history several centuries ago.

Your knowledge of history is at best lacking and and worst purposely distorted but I guess that's what we've come to expect of SmashEDO.

brunswick2019 wrote:
Thankyou Cllr. Duncan for your comments: they'll ensure that even less people will vote Green at the next election.

No doubt this demo will be one of the rare occasions when 'Brussels' Lucas makes an appearance in Brighton...

Beggars belief that anyone voted for them in the first place.

anubis wrote:
The planned demonstration against Brighton’s EDO factory, where essential components of arms sold to Israel, for use against Palestine (perhaps also Iran, when the Israelis launch their anticipated attack?), deserves the full support of us all. Councillor Theobald and his allies, reciting their routine objections that ‘Brighton is a holiday centre’, that the enjoyment of residents and visitors will be disturbed, that the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations must not be sidelined … and finally, that the local population (especially local ‘business men’) benefit from EDO’s presence – as do the workforce employed in the factory, fails to comprehend the basic purpose of the planned ‘Summer of Resistance’ event.

Unfortunately, the critics are correct. My guess is that the overwhelming majority of locals are unaware of the existence of EDO; those that are possibly have ‘no opinion’ on the question. That’s exactly why the demonstration is so necessary! Remember a little history …. during the last century, women marched in the streets throughout the realm, demanding the right to vote. At first, the majority of women, (let alone men!) didn’t support the suffragettes and their ‘demonstrations’ (not always as ‘peaceful’ as current press stories report) … but the women kept on battling and eventually won.

Of course, not all demonstrations have successful outcomes – just a few years ago, my family and I marched with two million others against the impending war in Iraq, but the majority of the population didn’t support us. Before that, our fathers (and mothers) marched against Hitler and Mussolini destroying democracy in Spain, but were equally unsuccessful, leading eventually to the Munich agreement, the handing over of Czechoslovakia to the Nazis, and eventually the Second World War. It is precisely because most do not understand the dangers of this arms traffic that it will be allowed to continue – that’s why demonstrations are so necessary … providing the opportunity for leaflet distribution and conversations, helping ‘educate’ the wider population.

So although the marchers might upset the local Tories and their LibDem and Labour ‘allies’, the issues raised by the campaign are very much ‘life and death’ matters – certainly of much greater importance to us all than celebrating the outdated feudal institution that belonged in the dustbin of history several centuries ago.

Complete load of old rubbish, probably matching the author!

anubis wrote:
The planned demonstration against Brighton’s EDO factory, where essential components of arms sold to Israel, for use against Palestine (perhaps also Iran, when the Israelis launch their anticipated attack?), deserves the full support of us all. Councillor Theobald and his allies, reciting their routine objections that ‘Brighton is a holiday centre’, that the enjoyment of residents and visitors will be disturbed, that the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations must not be sidelined … and finally, that the local population (especially local ‘business men’) benefit from EDO’s presence – as do the workforce employed in the factory, fails to comprehend the basic purpose of the planned ‘Summer of Resistance’ event.

Unfortunately, the critics are correct. My guess is that the overwhelming majority of locals are unaware of the existence of EDO; those that are possibly have ‘no opinion’ on the question. That’s exactly why the demonstration is so necessary! Remember a little history …. during the last century, women marched in the streets throughout the realm, demanding the right to vote. At first, the majority of women, (let alone men!) didn’t support the suffragettes and their ‘demonstrations’ (not always as ‘peaceful’ as current press stories report) … but the women kept on battling and eventually won.

Of course, not all demonstrations have successful outcomes – just a few years ago, my family and I marched with two million others against the impending war in Iraq, but the majority of the population didn’t support us. Before that, our fathers (and mothers) marched against Hitler and Mussolini destroying democracy in Spain, but were equally unsuccessful, leading eventually to the Munich agreement, the handing over of Czechoslovakia to the Nazis, and eventually the Second World War. It is precisely because most do not understand the dangers of this arms traffic that it will be allowed to continue – that’s why demonstrations are so necessary … providing the opportunity for leaflet distribution and conversations, helping ‘educate’ the wider population.

So although the marchers might upset the local Tories and their LibDem and Labour ‘allies’, the issues raised by the campaign are very much ‘life and death’ matters – certainly of much greater importance to us all than celebrating the outdated feudal institution that belonged in the dustbin of history several centuries ago.

Yeah just a couple of problems with your comments, like first of all the Information Commissioner, after a freedom of information request from Ceri Gibbons, a SmashEdo supporter, stated that after having looked at all of the relevant documents and having interviewed the relevant civil servants was satisfied that the claim the Edo at Home farm sold arms to Israel had no basis in fact. Also inconveniently for you, the fact is that our intervention in Libya, possible only because of companies like Edo, has done more to spead freedom and human rights than all of the SmashEdo demos added together. SmashEdo are not about protest, they are a campaign group attempting to force a legally run business to close through the use of violence. So dont you dare try and align the violence and extremism of the SmashEdo thugs with the fight against facism and the fight for womens rights, they are not fit to be mentioned in the same breath. The earlier poster got it right, Albion organised peaceful protests and got what they wanted a new stadium, SmashEdos routine use of violence harrasment and intimidation have got them nowhere.
Didnt we hear of all this guff about a summer of resistance last year? What happened to that? Was it cancelled due to lack of interest? As for Ben Duncan, is he going to liase with SmashEdo to ensure that they cooperate with the police as he had promised to do? Is he going to insist that SmashEdo protestors do not wear masks? If the police take a hands off approach as he wants, will he personally make good the costs of any damage the prostestors do? I was there at their mayday protest, I remember them trying to smash up the McDonalds on London Road, then Barclays and then the smashing up of the Palace Pier, so is Ben Duncan going to stand surety for local businesses if SmashEdo run amok again?

Fight Back wrote:

Kid Neewiper wrote:
I fully support this. This factory bomb making factory has to be stopped.
As for the corrupt Sussex Police, no doubt they'll wrongly arrest and assault these demonstrators as they have done in the past.

IT DOESN'T MAKE BOMBS !!!!!!!!
And what about the "protesters" who cover their faces and carry weapons such as golf clubs ??????

Every protest has a few trouble makers intent on causing mischief and they are a tiny minority. On the whole we are a peaceful group of demonstrators who simply wish to get our point across.

Kid Neewiper wrote:

Fight Back wrote:

Kid Neewiper wrote:
I fully support this. This factory bomb making factory has to be stopped.
As for the corrupt Sussex Police, no doubt they'll wrongly arrest and assault these demonstrators as they have done in the past.

IT DOESN'T MAKE BOMBS !!!!!!!!
And what about the "protesters" who cover their faces and carry weapons such as golf clubs ??????

Every protest has a few trouble makers intent on causing mischief and they are a tiny minority. On the whole we are a peaceful group of demonstrators who simply wish to get our point across.

I refer you to the Albion protests to disprove your stupid statement.

JHunty wrote:

anubis wrote:
The planned demonstration against Brighton’s EDO factory, where essential components of arms sold to Israel, for use against Palestine (perhaps also Iran, when the Israelis launch their anticipated attack?), deserves the full support of us all. Councillor Theobald and his allies, reciting their routine objections that ‘Brighton is a holiday centre’, that the enjoyment of residents and visitors will be disturbed, that the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations must not be sidelined … and finally, that the local population (especially local ‘business men’) benefit from EDO’s presence – as do the workforce employed in the factory, fails to comprehend the basic purpose of the planned ‘Summer of Resistance’ event.

Unfortunately, the critics are correct. My guess is that the overwhelming majority of locals are unaware of the existence of EDO; those that are possibly have ‘no opinion’ on the question. That’s exactly why the demonstration is so necessary! Remember a little history …. during the last century, women marched in the streets throughout the realm, demanding the right to vote. At first, the majority of women, (let alone men!) didn’t support the suffragettes and their ‘demonstrations’ (not always as ‘peaceful’ as current press stories report) … but the women kept on battling and eventually won.

Of course, not all demonstrations have successful outcomes – just a few years ago, my family and I marched with two million others against the impending war in Iraq, but the majority of the population didn’t support us. Before that, our fathers (and mothers) marched against Hitler and Mussolini destroying democracy in Spain, but were equally unsuccessful, leading eventually to the Munich agreement, the handing over of Czechoslovakia to the Nazis, and eventually the Second World War. It is precisely because most do not understand the dangers of this arms traffic that it will be allowed to continue – that’s why demonstrations are so necessary … providing the opportunity for leaflet distribution and conversations, helping ‘educate’ the wider population.

So although the marchers might upset the local Tories and their LibDem and Labour ‘allies’, the issues raised by the campaign are very much ‘life and death’ matters – certainly of much greater importance to us all than celebrating the outdated feudal institution that belonged in the dustbin of history several centuries ago.

Yeah just a couple of problems with your comments, like first of all the Information Commissioner, after a freedom of information request from Ceri Gibbons, a SmashEdo supporter, stated that after having looked at all of the relevant documents and having interviewed the relevant civil servants was satisfied that the claim the Edo at Home farm sold arms to Israel had no basis in fact. Also inconveniently for you, the fact is that our intervention in Libya, possible only because of companies like Edo, has done more to spead freedom and human rights than all of the SmashEdo demos added together. SmashEdo are not about protest, they are a campaign group attempting to force a legally run business to close through the use of violence. So dont you dare try and align the violence and extremism of the SmashEdo thugs with the fight against facism and the fight for womens rights, they are not fit to be mentioned in the same breath. The earlier poster got it right, Albion organised peaceful protests and got what they wanted a new stadium, SmashEdos routine use of violence harrasment and intimidation have got them nowhere.
Didnt we hear of all this guff about a summer of resistance last year? What happened to that? Was it cancelled due to lack of interest? As for Ben Duncan, is he going to liase with SmashEdo to ensure that they cooperate with the police as he had promised to do? Is he going to insist that SmashEdo protestors do not wear masks? If the police take a hands off approach as he wants, will he personally make good the costs of any damage the prostestors do? I was there at their mayday protest, I remember them trying to smash up the McDonalds on London Road, then Barclays and then the smashing up of the Palace Pier, so is Ben Duncan going to stand surety for local businesses if SmashEdo run amok again?

A very selective memory...

All the Information commissioner found was no export licences between 2000 and 2007 approved for EDO MBM to send weapons components to Israel.

As it turns out this was because they have been doing it anyway without licences, this is why its illegal.

Paul Hills (MD of EDO MBM)admitted under oath in Hove Crown Court in June 2010 that his company own the sole rights to and act as design authority for the arming technology used on Israeli F-16 bomb rack, He also admitted EDO MBM used a US front company to sell this technology to the US Dept of Defense (unlawfully in US law). Evidence shows this is included in F-16 parts for Israel. A jury of 12 heard Paul Hills give evidence for five days and were not convinced by his attempted rebuttals of the Smash EDO arguments.

That jury acquitted 7 people who had openly admitted causing £300K damage to the factory risking 10 years in prison based on the arguments of Smash EDO.

Unlike the ranters in the pages of the Argus who can't see what stares them in the face, that jury effectively declared that EDO MBM are engaged in unlawful activities.

Why have the police never investigated what came out of that case?

Because Sussex police are hand in hand with the arms dealers in this city against honest anti-war protesters. Sussex police have invested so much in protecting these corporate criminals they are systematically corrupted by the relationship. That's why there is no point in Smash EDO dealing with the police, they are part of the problem. They will use any excuse to mass arrest, assault, detain and intimidate those who wish to draw attention to their dodgy friends at EDO MBM.
As for violence and destruction, nothing these protesters have done comes close to the death and destruction of the military operations EDO MBM assist on a daily basis. Yes they make parts for bombs, and missiles, not just pins, or nuts and bolts, but essential launchers, bomb racks, fuses, cables, arming units, electronic interface systems, guidance kits. They also have contracts to maintain weapons systems in operational airbases. They are a vital part of the war machine.

Play your party political games all you like. It matters not who is in power in the council- Greens, Tories, Labour they all do nothing in the end-- just talk.

What's needed is direct action.

Kid Neewiper wrote:

Fight Back wrote:

Kid Neewiper wrote:
I fully support this. This factory bomb making factory has to be stopped.
As for the corrupt Sussex Police, no doubt they'll wrongly arrest and assault these demonstrators as they have done in the past.

IT DOESN'T MAKE BOMBS !!!!!!!!
And what about the "protesters" who cover their faces and carry weapons such as golf clubs ??????

Every protest has a few trouble makers intent on causing mischief and they are a tiny minority. On the whole we are a peaceful group of demonstrators who simply wish to get our point across.

You are a bunch of wasters that need to find something useful to do. Maybe even employment?

People need to ask themselves how they feel about so many jobs in this country being dependent upon the arms industry, aided by government funded research.

All weapons are designed to injure and kill. Imagine if a drone came over and dropped explosives on a primary school in Brighton and some company made a profit of millions from it?

I'm glad there will be a protest, in this excessively herb scented dozy city.

I do think Smash EDo need to consider if organising differently to attract supporters from a wider range of backgrounds is required.

Can I suggest that the protesters petition the Council to hold a citywide referendum on the question "Should EDO MBM be asked to leave the city?" That way we can all have a civilised debate, the question can be put to all the people of the city and the decision is made. I presume Cllr Duncan will lead the Yes Campaign and explain to everyone why they should go. Direct democracy, it's in the Green Party's hands......

zrfau wrote:

JHunty wrote:

anubis wrote:
The planned demonstration against Brighton’s EDO factory, where essential components of arms sold to Israel, for use against Palestine (perhaps also Iran, when the Israelis launch their anticipated attack?), deserves the full support of us all. Councillor Theobald and his allies, reciting their routine objections that ‘Brighton is a holiday centre’, that the enjoyment of residents and visitors will be disturbed, that the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations must not be sidelined … and finally, that the local population (especially local ‘business men’) benefit from EDO’s presence – as do the workforce employed in the factory, fails to comprehend the basic purpose of the planned ‘Summer of Resistance’ event.

Unfortunately, the critics are correct. My guess is that the overwhelming majority of locals are unaware of the existence of EDO; those that are possibly have ‘no opinion’ on the question. That’s exactly why the demonstration is so necessary! Remember a little history …. during the last century, women marched in the streets throughout the realm, demanding the right to vote. At first, the majority of women, (let alone men!) didn’t support the suffragettes and their ‘demonstrations’ (not always as ‘peaceful’ as current press stories report) … but the women kept on battling and eventually won.

Of course, not all demonstrations have successful outcomes – just a few years ago, my family and I marched with two million others against the impending war in Iraq, but the majority of the population didn’t support us. Before that, our fathers (and mothers) marched against Hitler and Mussolini destroying democracy in Spain, but were equally unsuccessful, leading eventually to the Munich agreement, the handing over of Czechoslovakia to the Nazis, and eventually the Second World War. It is precisely because most do not understand the dangers of this arms traffic that it will be allowed to continue – that’s why demonstrations are so necessary … providing the opportunity for leaflet distribution and conversations, helping ‘educate’ the wider population.

So although the marchers might upset the local Tories and their LibDem and Labour ‘allies’, the issues raised by the campaign are very much ‘life and death’ matters – certainly of much greater importance to us all than celebrating the outdated feudal institution that belonged in the dustbin of history several centuries ago.

Yeah just a couple of problems with your comments, like first of all the Information Commissioner, after a freedom of information request from Ceri Gibbons, a SmashEdo supporter, stated that after having looked at all of the relevant documents and having interviewed the relevant civil servants was satisfied that the claim the Edo at Home farm sold arms to Israel had no basis in fact. Also inconveniently for you, the fact is that our intervention in Libya, possible only because of companies like Edo, has done more to spead freedom and human rights than all of the SmashEdo demos added together. SmashEdo are not about protest, they are a campaign group attempting to force a legally run business to close through the use of violence. So dont you dare try and align the violence and extremism of the SmashEdo thugs with the fight against facism and the fight for womens rights, they are not fit to be mentioned in the same breath. The earlier poster got it right, Albion organised peaceful protests and got what they wanted a new stadium, SmashEdos routine use of violence harrasment and intimidation have got them nowhere.
Didnt we hear of all this guff about a summer of resistance last year? What happened to that? Was it cancelled due to lack of interest? As for Ben Duncan, is he going to liase with SmashEdo to ensure that they cooperate with the police as he had promised to do? Is he going to insist that SmashEdo protestors do not wear masks? If the police take a hands off approach as he wants, will he personally make good the costs of any damage the prostestors do? I was there at their mayday protest, I remember them trying to smash up the McDonalds on London Road, then Barclays and then the smashing up of the Palace Pier, so is Ben Duncan going to stand surety for local businesses if SmashEdo run amok again?

A very selective memory...

All the Information commissioner found was no export licences between 2000 and 2007 approved for EDO MBM to send weapons components to Israel.

As it turns out this was because they have been doing it anyway without licences, this is why its illegal.

Paul Hills (MD of EDO MBM)admitted under oath in Hove Crown Court in June 2010 that his company own the sole rights to and act as design authority for the arming technology used on Israeli F-16 bomb rack, He also admitted EDO MBM used a US front company to sell this technology to the US Dept of Defense (unlawfully in US law). Evidence shows this is included in F-16 parts for Israel. A jury of 12 heard Paul Hills give evidence for five days and were not convinced by his attempted rebuttals of the Smash EDO arguments.

That jury acquitted 7 people who had openly admitted causing £300K damage to the factory risking 10 years in prison based on the arguments of Smash EDO.

Unlike the ranters in the pages of the Argus who can't see what stares them in the face, that jury effectively declared that EDO MBM are engaged in unlawful activities.

Why have the police never investigated what came out of that case?

Because Sussex police are hand in hand with the arms dealers in this city against honest anti-war protesters. Sussex police have invested so much in protecting these corporate criminals they are systematically corrupted by the relationship. That's why there is no point in Smash EDO dealing with the police, they are part of the problem. They will use any excuse to mass arrest, assault, detain and intimidate those who wish to draw attention to their dodgy friends at EDO MBM.
As for violence and destruction, nothing these protesters have done comes close to the death and destruction of the military operations EDO MBM assist on a daily basis. Yes they make parts for bombs, and missiles, not just pins, or nuts and bolts, but essential launchers, bomb racks, fuses, cables, arming units, electronic interface systems, guidance kits. They also have contracts to maintain weapons systems in operational airbases. They are a vital part of the war machine.

Play your party political games all you like. It matters not who is in power in the council- Greens, Tories, Labour they all do nothing in the end-- just talk.

What's needed is direct action.

If you have evidence to support what you have written then post it and then there will be no need for protests as the whole of Brighton and Hove will be behind you.

It is that simple.

fredaj wrote:

zrfau wrote:

JHunty wrote:

anubis wrote: The planned demonstration against Brighton’s EDO factory, where essential components of arms sold to Israel, for use against Palestine (perhaps also Iran, when the Israelis launch their anticipated attack?), deserves the full support of us all. Councillor Theobald and his allies, reciting their routine objections that ‘Brighton is a holiday centre’, that the enjoyment of residents and visitors will be disturbed, that the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations must not be sidelined … and finally, that the local population (especially local ‘business men’) benefit from EDO’s presence – as do the workforce employed in the factory, fails to comprehend the basic purpose of the planned ‘Summer of Resistance’ event. Unfortunately, the critics are correct. My guess is that the overwhelming majority of locals are unaware of the existence of EDO; those that are possibly have ‘no opinion’ on the question. That’s exactly why the demonstration is so necessary! Remember a little history …. during the last century, women marched in the streets throughout the realm, demanding the right to vote. At first, the majority of women, (let alone men!) didn’t support the suffragettes and their ‘demonstrations’ (not always as ‘peaceful’ as current press stories report) … but the women kept on battling and eventually won. Of course, not all demonstrations have successful outcomes – just a few years ago, my family and I marched with two million others against the impending war in Iraq, but the majority of the population didn’t support us. Before that, our fathers (and mothers) marched against Hitler and Mussolini destroying democracy in Spain, but were equally unsuccessful, leading eventually to the Munich agreement, the handing over of Czechoslovakia to the Nazis, and eventually the Second World War. It is precisely because most do not understand the dangers of this arms traffic that it will be allowed to continue – that’s why demonstrations are so necessary … providing the opportunity for leaflet distribution and conversations, helping ‘educate’ the wider population. So although the marchers might upset the local Tories and their LibDem and Labour ‘allies’, the issues raised by the campaign are very much ‘life and death’ matters – certainly of much greater importance to us all than celebrating the outdated feudal institution that belonged in the dustbin of history several centuries ago.

Yeah just a couple of problems with your comments, like first of all the Information Commissioner, after a freedom of information request from Ceri Gibbons, a SmashEdo supporter, stated that after having looked at all of the relevant documents and having interviewed the relevant civil servants was satisfied that the claim the Edo at Home farm sold arms to Israel had no basis in fact. Also inconveniently for you, the fact is that our intervention in Libya, possible only because of companies like Edo, has done more to spead freedom and human rights than all of the SmashEdo demos added together. SmashEdo are not about protest, they are a campaign group attempting to force a legally run business to close through the use of violence. So dont you dare try and align the violence and extremism of the SmashEdo thugs with the fight against facism and the fight for womens rights, they are not fit to be mentioned in the same breath. The earlier poster got it right, Albion organised peaceful protests and got what they wanted a new stadium, SmashEdos routine use of violence harrasment and intimidation have got them nowhere. Didnt we hear of all this guff about a summer of resistance last year? What happened to that? Was it cancelled due to lack of interest? As for Ben Duncan, is he going to liase with SmashEdo to ensure that they cooperate with the police as he had promised to do? Is he going to insist that SmashEdo protestors do not wear masks? If the police take a hands off approach as he wants, will he personally make good the costs of any damage the prostestors do? I was there at their mayday protest, I remember them trying to smash up the McDonalds on London Road, then Barclays and then the smashing up of the Palace Pier, so is Ben Duncan going to stand surety for local businesses if SmashEdo run amok again?

A very selective memory... All the Information commissioner found was no export licences between 2000 and 2007 approved for EDO MBM to send weapons components to Israel. As it turns out this was because they have been doing it anyway without licences, this is why its illegal. Paul Hills (MD of EDO MBM)admitted under oath in Hove Crown Court in June 2010 that his company own the sole rights to and act as design authority for the arming technology used on Israeli F-16 bomb rack, He also admitted EDO MBM used a US front company to sell this technology to the US Dept of Defense (unlawfully in US law). Evidence shows this is included in F-16 parts for Israel. A jury of 12 heard Paul Hills give evidence for five days and were not convinced by his attempted rebuttals of the Smash EDO arguments. That jury acquitted 7 people who had openly admitted causing £300K damage to the factory risking 10 years in prison based on the arguments of Smash EDO. Unlike the ranters in the pages of the Argus who can't see what stares them in the face, that jury effectively declared that EDO MBM are engaged in unlawful activities. Why have the police never investigated what came out of that case? Because Sussex police are hand in hand with the arms dealers in this city against honest anti-war protesters. Sussex police have invested so much in protecting these corporate criminals they are systematically corrupted by the relationship. That's why there is no point in Smash EDO dealing with the police, they are part of the problem. They will use any excuse to mass arrest, assault, detain and intimidate those who wish to draw attention to their dodgy friends at EDO MBM. As for violence and destruction, nothing these protesters have done comes close to the death and destruction of the military operations EDO MBM assist on a daily basis. Yes they make parts for bombs, and missiles, not just pins, or nuts and bolts, but essential launchers, bomb racks, fuses, cables, arming units, electronic interface systems, guidance kits. They also have contracts to maintain weapons systems in operational airbases. They are a vital part of the war machine. Play your party political games all you like. It matters not who is in power in the council- Greens, Tories, Labour they all do nothing in the end-- just talk. What's needed is direct action.

If you have evidence to support what you have written then post it and then there will be no need for protests as the whole of Brighton and Hove will be behind you. It is that simple.

Nice to have a village idiot nice to know its you .... deluded fool

Kid Neewiper wrote:
I fully support this. This factory bomb making factory has to be stopped.
As for the corrupt Sussex Police, no doubt they'll wrongly arrest and assault these demonstrators as they have done in the past.

And to think this guy was calling ME the imbecile the other day!!! Pot - kettle anyone!!! Lol.

AmboGuy wrote:

Kid Neewiper wrote:
I fully support this. This factory bomb making factory has to be stopped.
As for the corrupt Sussex Police, no doubt they'll wrongly arrest and assault these demonstrators as they have done in the past.

And to think this guy was calling ME the imbecile the other day!!! Pot - kettle anyone!!! Lol.

Kid, They do not make BOMBS! This is the sort of scare mongering that panders to the great unwashed!

So ... EDO make some kind of weapons parts for military use? Well! I know of another company that make all sorts of military and nuclear hardware. We should organise a group called "Smash Rolls-Royce" and begin immediate protests at Buckingham Gate in London.

zrfau wrote:

JHunty wrote:

anubis wrote:
The planned demonstration against Brighton’s EDO factory, where essential components of arms sold to Israel, for use against Palestine (perhaps also Iran, when the Israelis launch their anticipated attack?), deserves the full support of us all. Councillor Theobald and his allies, reciting their routine objections that ‘Brighton is a holiday centre’, that the enjoyment of residents and visitors will be disturbed, that the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations must not be sidelined … and finally, that the local population (especially local ‘business men’) benefit from EDO’s presence – as do the workforce employed in the factory, fails to comprehend the basic purpose of the planned ‘Summer of Resistance’ event.

Unfortunately, the critics are correct. My guess is that the overwhelming majority of locals are unaware of the existence of EDO; those that are possibly have ‘no opinion’ on the question. That’s exactly why the demonstration is so necessary! Remember a little history …. during the last century, women marched in the streets throughout the realm, demanding the right to vote. At first, the majority of women, (let alone men!) didn’t support the suffragettes and their ‘demonstrations’ (not always as ‘peaceful’ as current press stories report) … but the women kept on battling and eventually won.

Of course, not all demonstrations have successful outcomes – just a few years ago, my family and I marched with two million others against the impending war in Iraq, but the majority of the population didn’t support us. Before that, our fathers (and mothers) marched against Hitler and Mussolini destroying democracy in Spain, but were equally unsuccessful, leading eventually to the Munich agreement, the handing over of Czechoslovakia to the Nazis, and eventually the Second World War. It is precisely because most do not understand the dangers of this arms traffic that it will be allowed to continue – that’s why demonstrations are so necessary … providing the opportunity for leaflet distribution and conversations, helping ‘educate’ the wider population.

So although the marchers might upset the local Tories and their LibDem and Labour ‘allies’, the issues raised by the campaign are very much ‘life and death’ matters – certainly of much greater importance to us all than celebrating the outdated feudal institution that belonged in the dustbin of history several centuries ago.

Yeah just a couple of problems with your comments, like first of all the Information Commissioner, after a freedom of information request from Ceri Gibbons, a SmashEdo supporter, stated that after having looked at all of the relevant documents and having interviewed the relevant civil servants was satisfied that the claim the Edo at Home farm sold arms to Israel had no basis in fact. Also inconveniently for you, the fact is that our intervention in Libya, possible only because of companies like Edo, has done more to spead freedom and human rights than all of the SmashEdo demos added together. SmashEdo are not about protest, they are a campaign group attempting to force a legally run business to close through the use of violence. So dont you dare try and align the violence and extremism of the SmashEdo thugs with the fight against facism and the fight for womens rights, they are not fit to be mentioned in the same breath. The earlier poster got it right, Albion organised peaceful protests and got what they wanted a new stadium, SmashEdos routine use of violence harrasment and intimidation have got them nowhere.
Didnt we hear of all this guff about a summer of resistance last year? What happened to that? Was it cancelled due to lack of interest? As for Ben Duncan, is he going to liase with SmashEdo to ensure that they cooperate with the police as he had promised to do? Is he going to insist that SmashEdo protestors do not wear masks? If the police take a hands off approach as he wants, will he personally make good the costs of any damage the prostestors do? I was there at their mayday protest, I remember them trying to smash up the McDonalds on London Road, then Barclays and then the smashing up of the Palace Pier, so is Ben Duncan going to stand surety for local businesses if SmashEdo run amok again?

A very selective memory...

All the Information commissioner found was no export licences between 2000 and 2007 approved for EDO MBM to send weapons components to Israel.

As it turns out this was because they have been doing it anyway without licences, this is why its illegal.

Paul Hills (MD of EDO MBM)admitted under oath in Hove Crown Court in June 2010 that his company own the sole rights to and act as design authority for the arming technology used on Israeli F-16 bomb rack, He also admitted EDO MBM used a US front company to sell this technology to the US Dept of Defense (unlawfully in US law). Evidence shows this is included in F-16 parts for Israel. A jury of 12 heard Paul Hills give evidence for five days and were not convinced by his attempted rebuttals of the Smash EDO arguments.

That jury acquitted 7 people who had openly admitted causing £300K damage to the factory risking 10 years in prison based on the arguments of Smash EDO.

Unlike the ranters in the pages of the Argus who can't see what stares them in the face, that jury effectively declared that EDO MBM are engaged in unlawful activities.

Why have the police never investigated what came out of that case?

Because Sussex police are hand in hand with the arms dealers in this city against honest anti-war protesters. Sussex police have invested so much in protecting these corporate criminals they are systematically corrupted by the relationship. That's why there is no point in Smash EDO dealing with the police, they are part of the problem. They will use any excuse to mass arrest, assault, detain and intimidate those who wish to draw attention to their dodgy friends at EDO MBM.
As for violence and destruction, nothing these protesters have done comes close to the death and destruction of the military operations EDO MBM assist on a daily basis. Yes they make parts for bombs, and missiles, not just pins, or nuts and bolts, but essential launchers, bomb racks, fuses, cables, arming units, electronic interface systems, guidance kits. They also have contracts to maintain weapons systems in operational airbases. They are a vital part of the war machine.

Play your party political games all you like. It matters not who is in power in the council- Greens, Tories, Labour they all do nothing in the end-- just talk.

What's needed is direct action.

You are the one with the selective memory, through out the trial you completely failed to prove that Edo export to Israel. Despite your toy soldier threatening to kill the MD of Edo and his children, a threat you called a politcal statement on your website. The jury certainly did not find that Edo were exporting illegally, in fact if the judge had not been blatantly anti Israel in that trial it would have come to a very different conclusion. You seem very ungrateful to the Greens as Caroline Lucas made herself look stupid on your behalf by making the factually vacuous statement that you "had clearly exhausted all democratic avenues" before smashing up a legally run business, a statement with no basis in reality. When you had a chance to find the evidence you need, when you broke into the factory you came away with nothing. I repeat you broke into the factory and you found no evidence to support your claims. You lie and twist and turn, your whole campaign is built on a lie, that there is a bomb factory in Brighton, you lie about the police, blaming them for the disruption that you seek to cause. You deliberately seek confrontation with the police in order to use the resulting violence to radicalise your supporters, copying SWP tactics that are as old as the hills. You are part of the problem, a tiny minority using violence to impose their extremist views on the majority, it is people like you that make weapons dangerous because it is people like you who use them, because you are so convinced that you alone are right and only you can see the way forward and that justifies you doing what ever is necessary to achieve your aims.
Your campaign has been a complete failure but still the elitist clique that run your campaign issue the same old orders to the sheeple that follow blindly. You carry on using the same old bankrupt tactics that have lost you the support of the people of Brighton. And all the while your fanaticism and violence damage the cause you claim to support, that of the Palestinians, by associating your thugish and illegal behaviour with the Palestinian cause you make it easier for Israels supporters to dismiss the Palestinians and their supporters as violent extremists with whom it is impossible to negotiate and for this you should hang your heads in shame.

protest? right now its about causing the police to make contingency plans, the moral argument of the protesters never stood up.
they should all be arrested and charged with protesting without a valid cause

It's a peaceful protest.
So where did the broken windows come from?

Pleased I'll be in America..Brighton you voted for The Greens you laid down with dogs now you have flees!!

JHUnty gets my vote!

JHunty wrote:

zrfau wrote:

JHunty wrote:

anubis wrote:
The planned demonstration against Brighton’s EDO factory, where essential components of arms sold to Israel, for use against Palestine (perhaps also Iran, when the Israelis launch their anticipated attack?), deserves the full support of us all. Councillor Theobald and his allies, reciting their routine objections that ‘Brighton is a holiday centre’, that the enjoyment of residents and visitors will be disturbed, that the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations must not be sidelined … and finally, that the local population (especially local ‘business men’) benefit from EDO’s presence – as do the workforce employed in the factory, fails to comprehend the basic purpose of the planned ‘Summer of Resistance’ event.

Unfortunately, the critics are correct. My guess is that the overwhelming majority of locals are unaware of the existence of EDO; those that are possibly have ‘no opinion’ on the question. That’s exactly why the demonstration is so necessary! Remember a little history …. during the last century, women marched in the streets throughout the realm, demanding the right to vote. At first, the majority of women, (let alone men!) didn’t support the suffragettes and their ‘demonstrations’ (not always as ‘peaceful’ as current press stories report) … but the women kept on battling and eventually won.

Of course, not all demonstrations have successful outcomes – just a few years ago, my family and I marched with two million others against the impending war in Iraq, but the majority of the population didn’t support us. Before that, our fathers (and mothers) marched against Hitler and Mussolini destroying democracy in Spain, but were equally unsuccessful, leading eventually to the Munich agreement, the handing over of Czechoslovakia to the Nazis, and eventually the Second World War. It is precisely because most do not understand the dangers of this arms traffic that it will be allowed to continue – that’s why demonstrations are so necessary … providing the opportunity for leaflet distribution and conversations, helping ‘educate’ the wider population.

So although the marchers might upset the local Tories and their LibDem and Labour ‘allies’, the issues raised by the campaign are very much ‘life and death’ matters – certainly of much greater importance to us all than celebrating the outdated feudal institution that belonged in the dustbin of history several centuries ago.

Yeah just a couple of problems with your comments, like first of all the Information Commissioner, after a freedom of information request from Ceri Gibbons, a SmashEdo supporter, stated that after having looked at all of the relevant documents and having interviewed the relevant civil servants was satisfied that the claim the Edo at Home farm sold arms to Israel had no basis in fact. Also inconveniently for you, the fact is that our intervention in Libya, possible only because of companies like Edo, has done more to spead freedom and human rights than all of the SmashEdo demos added together. SmashEdo are not about protest, they are a campaign group attempting to force a legally run business to close through the use of violence. So dont you dare try and align the violence and extremism of the SmashEdo thugs with the fight against facism and the fight for womens rights, they are not fit to be mentioned in the same breath. The earlier poster got it right, Albion organised peaceful protests and got what they wanted a new stadium, SmashEdos routine use of violence harrasment and intimidation have got them nowhere.
Didnt we hear of all this guff about a summer of resistance last year? What happened to that? Was it cancelled due to lack of interest? As for Ben Duncan, is he going to liase with SmashEdo to ensure that they cooperate with the police as he had promised to do? Is he going to insist that SmashEdo protestors do not wear masks? If the police take a hands off approach as he wants, will he personally make good the costs of any damage the prostestors do? I was there at their mayday protest, I remember them trying to smash up the McDonalds on London Road, then Barclays and then the smashing up of the Palace Pier, so is Ben Duncan going to stand surety for local businesses if SmashEdo run amok again?

A very selective memory...

All the Information commissioner found was no export licences between 2000 and 2007 approved for EDO MBM to send weapons components to Israel.

As it turns out this was because they have been doing it anyway without licences, this is why its illegal.

Paul Hills (MD of EDO MBM)admitted under oath in Hove Crown Court in June 2010 that his company own the sole rights to and act as design authority for the arming technology used on Israeli F-16 bomb rack, He also admitted EDO MBM used a US front company to sell this technology to the US Dept of Defense (unlawfully in US law). Evidence shows this is included in F-16 parts for Israel. A jury of 12 heard Paul Hills give evidence for five days and were not convinced by his attempted rebuttals of the Smash EDO arguments.

That jury acquitted 7 people who had openly admitted causing £300K damage to the factory risking 10 years in prison based on the arguments of Smash EDO.

Unlike the ranters in the pages of the Argus who can't see what stares them in the face, that jury effectively declared that EDO MBM are engaged in unlawful activities.

Why have the police never investigated what came out of that case?

Because Sussex police are hand in hand with the arms dealers in this city against honest anti-war protesters. Sussex police have invested so much in protecting these corporate criminals they are systematically corrupted by the relationship. That's why there is no point in Smash EDO dealing with the police, they are part of the problem. They will use any excuse to mass arrest, assault, detain and intimidate those who wish to draw attention to their dodgy friends at EDO MBM.
As for violence and destruction, nothing these protesters have done comes close to the death and destruction of the military operations EDO MBM assist on a daily basis. Yes they make parts for bombs, and missiles, not just pins, or nuts and bolts, but essential launchers, bomb racks, fuses, cables, arming units, electronic interface systems, guidance kits. They also have contracts to maintain weapons systems in operational airbases. They are a vital part of the war machine.

Play your party political games all you like. It matters not who is in power in the council- Greens, Tories, Labour they all do nothing in the end-- just talk.

What's needed is direct action.

You are the one with the selective memory, through out the trial you completely failed to prove that Edo export to Israel. Despite your toy soldier threatening to kill the MD of Edo and his children, a threat you called a politcal statement on your website. The jury certainly did not find that Edo were exporting illegally, in fact if the judge had not been blatantly anti Israel in that trial it would have come to a very different conclusion. You seem very ungrateful to the Greens as Caroline Lucas made herself look stupid on your behalf by making the factually vacuous statement that you "had clearly exhausted all democratic avenues" before smashing up a legally run business, a statement with no basis in reality. When you had a chance to find the evidence you need, when you broke into the factory you came away with nothing. I repeat you broke into the factory and you found no evidence to support your claims. You lie and twist and turn, your whole campaign is built on a lie, that there is a bomb factory in Brighton, you lie about the police, blaming them for the disruption that you seek to cause. You deliberately seek confrontation with the police in order to use the resulting violence to radicalise your supporters, copying SWP tactics that are as old as the hills. You are part of the problem, a tiny minority using violence to impose their extremist views on the majority, it is people like you that make weapons dangerous because it is people like you who use them, because you are so convinced that you alone are right and only you can see the way forward and that justifies you doing what ever is necessary to achieve your aims.
Your campaign has been a complete failure but still the elitist clique that run your campaign issue the same old orders to the sheeple that follow blindly. You carry on using the same old bankrupt tactics that have lost you the support of the people of Brighton. And all the while your fanaticism and violence damage the cause you claim to support, that of the Palestinians, by associating your thugish and illegal behaviour with the Palestinian cause you make it easier for Israels supporters to dismiss the Palestinians and their supporters as violent extremists with whom it is impossible to negotiate and for this you should hang your heads in shame.

Jhunty twists the facts again with another epic diatribe of misrepresentation and untruth.

Lets take each falsehood one at at a time

1. 'through out the trial you completely failed to prove that Edo export to Israel.'

Paul Hills (EDO MBM MD) admitted EDO Corp- parent company of EDO MBM- export to Israel. There are EDO Corp contracts in the public domain that prove this. What EDO Corp export to Israel are bomb racks
(called BRU-46/47s) for F-16 and F-15 fighter jets. This was also confirmed by Paul Hills in court. These bomb racks contain arming units (called ZRFAUs) the rights to which are solely owned by EDO MBM as confirmed by Paul Hills in court.

Over five days of evidence wherein Paul Hills admitted owning, being the design authority for, and providing technical assistance for these arming units Paul Hills denied the Brighton company had ever made one despite over 12 years of owning a component that is essential to numerous weapons systems and clearly in demand to this day.

If the jury had believed this denial they would have convicted the 7 activist who carried out the action.
Under the close scrutiny of cross examination it emerged Paul Hills had lied when he denied EDO MBM had never made the arming unit. He admitted that the company had manufactured them ( contradicting years of statements in previous court cases) and that EDO MBM had used a front company in the USA to pretend to be the manufacturer in the USA for the purposes of winning US contracts. Here he admitted deception of the US federal authorities. So the jury had the arguments of Smash EDO proved to them by Paul Hills himself. That is why they acquitted 7 people.

2. In the end party politics makes no difference on this issue. Its the political system that we should be ungrateful for, because its a sham, an exhausted sham.

3. Its true that the statement EDO MBM is a legally run business, has no basis in reality.

4. The decommissioners action was not a spying mission or a burglary, the evidence already existed and this was obviously their motive to damage the factory during the attack on Gaza. Why would 7 people get deliberately arrested and face ten years in prison on a wild guess. The facts were already known. The strong belief in those facts led to the action. Any other explanation makes no sense.

5. The tiny minority using violence to impose their extreme views on the majority are the US Government, the UK Government, the Israeli Government, and a tiny minority of other governments that support their wars for oil and greed, backed up by an arms industry ( whose boards of directors are the same people who run governments and military machines) deeply invested in the continuing use of war as a means of business development and personal gain.

6. The certainty of political elites in the rightness of their aggressive use of military force to achieve political aims is clearly fanatical and should be resisted, but is supported blindly by jhunty.

7. Collective resistance is not thuggery. Thugs are hired for money to threaten others. The only people who get hired at Smash EDO demos are the police to beat up protesters or illegally mass arrest them.

8. If you had ever been to Palestine you would learn that collective resistance is the only means to face down overwhelming military power. Breaking the laws of the occupier is entirely legitimate as a means to resist illegitimate law. It is the Israelis that refuse to negotiate in the Middle East. It is Sussex police that refuse to investigate the unlawful activities of EDO MBM in Brighton. We should all be ashamed of this clear political bias demonstrated by Sussex Police in favour of arms dealers, weapons designers and war profiteers.

Every Bank Holiday when I should be enjoying a break from work and supporting my local economy I find a reason to upsticks and go elsewhere. Normally its the travellers & tax dodgers tarnishing the seafront, if it's not them it's the Nazi Thugs from London, or the great unwashed putting up tents & trashing the greenscape. Now it's another rent a mob with a political agenda invading town.
Why do they always find it necessary to come to the South coast to "express their views"?Whats wrong with London which is our political capital. Perhaps it's because our coppers are soft compared to the TSG of Olde London Town, and our political leaders are softer still.
Wouldn't imagine for one minute any of these scenarios would happen in front of Buckingham Palace, yet the seafront and Pavilion are our "Buck House" and window to the world. What a great advert for Brighton, that every Bank Holiday we tolerate any old bunch of idiots wanting to make a point denying the rights of the majority to a peaceful and unthreatening weekend of relaxation.

Still gives me an excuse to leave town for a weekend and benefit the economy of this countires more tranquil areas.

so for god knows how many years, Smash EDO have been protesting about this factory and yet still the vast amount of local people just remember the chaos/costs that this lot cause and either don't care or have no strong opinion either way about their cause (anyone that lives outside of Brighton has probably never heard of them anyway unless they've been caught up in it on a trip to Brighton or are part of this or some other protest group) - very effective way of getting your point across !?! time to move on perhaps?

I'm also assuming that anyone in the council supporting this (Green or otherwise) is also of the opinion the there's enough money available for other services, with no cuts in critical services needed and B&H council have spare cash after all to throw at these types of protest events

peaceful protest fine (if that ever actually happens these days without some rent-a-mob or group turning up to have a go at the police!), events with a firm history of violence/trouble, not fine!

If any of the Smash Edo scumbags urinate in my garden, as they did the last time they rioted (sorry, 'demonstrated'), they will experience a small piece of Hell.

Just try coming on to my property again, my lovelies; just you try it....

kopite_rob wrote:
Every Bank Holiday when I should be enjoying a break from work and supporting my local economy I find a reason to upsticks and go elsewhere. Normally its the travellers & tax dodgers tarnishing the seafront, if it's not them it's the Nazi Thugs from London, or the great unwashed putting up tents & trashing the greenscape. Now it's another rent a mob with a political agenda invading town.
Why do they always find it necessary to come to the South coast to "express their views"?Whats wrong with London which is our political capital. Perhaps it's because our coppers are soft compared to the TSG of Olde London Town, and our political leaders are softer still.
Wouldn't imagine for one minute any of these scenarios would happen in front of Buckingham Palace, yet the seafront and Pavilion are our "Buck House" and window to the world. What a great advert for Brighton, that every Bank Holiday we tolerate any old bunch of idiots wanting to make a point denying the rights of the majority to a peaceful and unthreatening weekend of relaxation.

Still gives me an excuse to leave town for a weekend and benefit the economy of this countires more tranquil areas.

Won't bother posting anything. You have summed it up perfectly.

kopite_rob wrote:
Every Bank Holiday when I should be enjoying a break from work and supporting my local economy I find a reason to upsticks and go elsewhere. Normally its the travellers & tax dodgers tarnishing the seafront, if it's not them it's the Nazi Thugs from London, or the great unwashed putting up tents & trashing the greenscape. Now it's another rent a mob with a political agenda invading town. Why do they always find it necessary to come to the South coast to "express their views"?Whats wrong with London which is our political capital. Perhaps it's because our coppers are soft compared to the TSG of Olde London Town, and our political leaders are softer still. Wouldn't imagine for one minute any of these scenarios would happen in front of Buckingham Palace, yet the seafront and Pavilion are our "Buck House" and window to the world. What a great advert for Brighton, that every Bank Holiday we tolerate any old bunch of idiots wanting to make a point denying the rights of the majority to a peaceful and unthreatening weekend of relaxation. Still gives me an excuse to leave town for a weekend and benefit the economy of this countires more tranquil areas.

London is full of protests. I see various groups protesting almost every time I go there, whether it's a weekday or a weekend, near Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Oxford Circus, Whitehall... there are plenty of demonstrations in London. Your statement is utterly pointless.

What you seem to be saying is that witnessing the enjoyment of people who have different views and values to your own is enough to spoil your weekend. I think this is quite sad but at least you have the sense to get out of the City and enjoy your weekend somewhere else. If you hate all these 'idiots' so much why don't you just move to the countryside permanently?

Keep up the good work EDO. Whilst SmashEDO try to drive manufacturing jobs overseas it is heart warming to see you sticking it out and continuing to provide good quality jobs to the people of Brighton. You are very welcome by the vast majority of residents, we should be noisier than the idiots who want to destroy our economy.

Shinypurpleshadow wrote:

kopite_rob wrote: Every Bank Holiday when I should be enjoying a break from work and supporting my local economy I find a reason to upsticks and go elsewhere. Normally its the travellers & tax dodgers tarnishing the seafront, if it's not them it's the Nazi Thugs from London, or the great unwashed putting up tents & trashing the greenscape. Now it's another rent a mob with a political agenda invading town. Why do they always find it necessary to come to the South coast to "express their views"?Whats wrong with London which is our political capital. Perhaps it's because our coppers are soft compared to the TSG of Olde London Town, and our political leaders are softer still. Wouldn't imagine for one minute any of these scenarios would happen in front of Buckingham Palace, yet the seafront and Pavilion are our "Buck House" and window to the world. What a great advert for Brighton, that every Bank Holiday we tolerate any old bunch of idiots wanting to make a point denying the rights of the majority to a peaceful and unthreatening weekend of relaxation. Still gives me an excuse to leave town for a weekend and benefit the economy of this countires more tranquil areas.

London is full of protests. I see various groups protesting almost every time I go there, whether it's a weekday or a weekend, near Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Oxford Circus, Whitehall... there are plenty of demonstrations in London. Your statement is utterly pointless. What you seem to be saying is that witnessing the enjoyment of people who have different views and values to your own is enough to spoil your weekend. I think this is quite sad but at least you have the sense to get out of the City and enjoy your weekend somewhere else. If you hate all these 'idiots' so much why don't you just move to the countryside permanently?

Shinypurpleshadow wrote:
What you seem to be saying is that witnessing the enjoyment of people who have different views and values to your own is enough to spoil your weekend.

No, what I witness is disruption, aggravation, criminal damage and blatant hooliganism. "Enjoyment" is not the word that springs to mind as witnessed on previous demonstrations.
My views are not the issue, I happen to be politically neutral, in as much as I trust all politicians equally with about as much trust I'd give to a fox in a hen house.
My political mantra is don't vote for any of them, it only encourages the buggers.
My values however are to be polite to all, respect the views of others, respect the property of others, respect the laws of the land and the right to be in a public place without fear for myself or my family.
Unfortunately the behaviour of the groups I mentioned above do not tick many of these boxes.

"A few profit – and the many pay. But there is a way to stop it.

You can't end it by disarmament conferences.

You can't eliminate it by peace parleys at Geneva.

Well-meaning but impractical groups can't wipe it out by resolutions.

It can be smashed effectively only by taking the profit out of war."

Major General Smedley Butler
War is a racket. (1935)

Shinypurpleshadow wrote:

kopite_rob wrote:
Every Bank Holiday when I should be enjoying a break from work and supporting my local economy I find a reason to upsticks and go elsewhere. Normally its the travellers & tax dodgers tarnishing the seafront, if it's not them it's the Nazi Thugs from London, or the great unwashed putting up tents & trashing the greenscape. Now it's another rent a mob with a political agenda invading town. Why do they always find it necessary to come to the South coast to "express their views"?Whats wrong with London which is our political capital. Perhaps it's because our coppers are soft compared to the TSG of Olde London Town, and our political leaders are softer still. Wouldn't imagine for one minute any of these scenarios would happen in front of Buckingham Palace, yet the seafront and Pavilion are our "Buck House" and window to the world. What a great advert for Brighton, that every Bank Holiday we tolerate any old bunch of idiots wanting to make a point denying the rights of the majority to a peaceful and unthreatening weekend of relaxation. Still gives me an excuse to leave town for a weekend and benefit the economy of this countires more tranquil areas.

London is full of protests. I see various groups protesting almost every time I go there, whether it's a weekday or a weekend, near Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Oxford Circus, Whitehall... there are plenty of demonstrations in London. Your statement is utterly pointless.

What you seem to be saying is that witnessing the enjoyment of people who have different views and values to your own is enough to spoil your weekend. I think this is quite sad but at least you have the sense to get out of the City and enjoy your weekend somewhere else. If you hate all these 'idiots' so much why don't you just move to the countryside permanently?

Why should he move permanently just because our yobs come down and smash up the place? What right do you have to tell him to do this?
If that were the case then everyone who lives in a neighbourhood with few problem families causing trouble, vandalising the place and generally being unsociable should move out of their homes and give in to the trouble makers. Unfortunately the SmashEDO protesters are just like problem families in as much as they cause trouble for everyone else and generally act like hooligans.

AmboGuy wrote:

Shinypurpleshadow wrote:

kopite_rob wrote: Every Bank Holiday when I should be enjoying a break from work and supporting my local economy I find a reason to upsticks and go elsewhere. Normally its the travellers & tax dodgers tarnishing the seafront, if it's not them it's the Nazi Thugs from London, or the great unwashed putting up tents & trashing the greenscape. Now it's another rent a mob with a political agenda invading town. Why do they always find it necessary to come to the South coast to "express their views"?Whats wrong with London which is our political capital. Perhaps it's because our coppers are soft compared to the TSG of Olde London Town, and our political leaders are softer still. Wouldn't imagine for one minute any of these scenarios would happen in front of Buckingham Palace, yet the seafront and Pavilion are our "Buck House" and window to the world. What a great advert for Brighton, that every Bank Holiday we tolerate any old bunch of idiots wanting to make a point denying the rights of the majority to a peaceful and unthreatening weekend of relaxation. Still gives me an excuse to leave town for a weekend and benefit the economy of this countires more tranquil areas.

London is full of protests. I see various groups protesting almost every time I go there, whether it's a weekday or a weekend, near Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Oxford Circus, Whitehall... there are plenty of demonstrations in London. Your statement is utterly pointless. What you seem to be saying is that witnessing the enjoyment of people who have different views and values to your own is enough to spoil your weekend. I think this is quite sad but at least you have the sense to get out of the City and enjoy your weekend somewhere else. If you hate all these 'idiots' so much why don't you just move to the countryside permanently?

Why should he move permanently just because our yobs come down and smash up the place? What right do you have to tell him to do this? If that were the case then everyone who lives in a neighbourhood with few problem families causing trouble, vandalising the place and generally being unsociable should move out of their homes and give in to the trouble makers. Unfortunately the SmashEDO protesters are just like problem families in as much as they cause trouble for everyone else and generally act like hooligans.

Hi Amboguy. I'm not making this suggestion merely because of Kopite Rob's dislike of Smash EDO, but because he lists several loosely defined groups of people who he clearly finds undesirable such as 'tax dodgers' and 'travellers' who 'tarnish the seafront' (not sure how you tell a tax dodger or traveller from their appearance) and 'the great unwashed' putting up tents, which I take to be a reference to the small Occupy Brighton movement which was set up on the Steine on a patch of grass. Kopite Rob is talking about these groups of people 'trashing' and 'tarnishing' the landscape but I don't see how they are doing this any more than the hoards of tourists sitting in traffic jams in their cars, polluting the air and ruining the seaview for everyone else, and then filling up the beach, putting up their windbreakers and leaving their rubbish around everywhere.

I don't have a problem with tourists or with any of the other groups of people mentioned (Nazi thugs excepted), but I assume from Kopite Rob's logic that he does. If this is the case then why move to a diverse and busy tourist city in the first place? Conversely if this is not the case then why the suggestion that some people have no right to spend time here when others do? I'd like to know what antisocial behaviour the 'travellers', 'tax dodgers' and 'great unwashed' have engaged in to get his goat so much and who he even thinks he is talking about when he makes these massive generalisations.

zrfau wrote:

JHunty wrote:

zrfau wrote:

JHunty wrote:

anubis wrote:
The planned demonstration against Brighton’s EDO factory, where essential components of arms sold to Israel, for use against Palestine (perhaps also Iran, when the Israelis launch their anticipated attack?), deserves the full support of us all. Councillor Theobald and his allies, reciting their routine objections that ‘Brighton is a holiday centre’, that the enjoyment of residents and visitors will be disturbed, that the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations must not be sidelined … and finally, that the local population (especially local ‘business men’) benefit from EDO’s presence – as do the workforce employed in the factory, fails to comprehend the basic purpose of the planned ‘Summer of Resistance’ event.

Unfortunately, the critics are correct. My guess is that the overwhelming majority of locals are unaware of the existence of EDO; those that are possibly have ‘no opinion’ on the question. That’s exactly why the demonstration is so necessary! Remember a little history …. during the last century, women marched in the streets throughout the realm, demanding the right to vote. At first, the majority of women, (let alone men!) didn’t support the suffragettes and their ‘demonstrations’ (not always as ‘peaceful’ as current press stories report) … but the women kept on battling and eventually won.

Of course, not all demonstrations have successful outcomes – just a few years ago, my family and I marched with two million others against the impending war in Iraq, but the majority of the population didn’t support us. Before that, our fathers (and mothers) marched against Hitler and Mussolini destroying democracy in Spain, but were equally unsuccessful, leading eventually to the Munich agreement, the handing over of Czechoslovakia to the Nazis, and eventually the Second World War. It is precisely because most do not understand the dangers of this arms traffic that it will be allowed to continue – that’s why demonstrations are so necessary … providing the opportunity for leaflet distribution and conversations, helping ‘educate’ the wider population.

So although the marchers might upset the local Tories and their LibDem and Labour ‘allies’, the issues raised by the campaign are very much ‘life and death’ matters – certainly of much greater importance to us all than celebrating the outdated feudal institution that belonged in the dustbin of history several centuries ago.

Yeah just a couple of problems with your comments, like first of all the Information Commissioner, after a freedom of information request from Ceri Gibbons, a SmashEdo supporter, stated that after having looked at all of the relevant documents and having interviewed the relevant civil servants was satisfied that the claim the Edo at Home farm sold arms to Israel had no basis in fact. Also inconveniently for you, the fact is that our intervention in Libya, possible only because of companies like Edo, has done more to spead freedom and human rights than all of the SmashEdo demos added together. SmashEdo are not about protest, they are a campaign group attempting to force a legally run business to close through the use of violence. So dont you dare try and align the violence and extremism of the SmashEdo thugs with the fight against facism and the fight for womens rights, they are not fit to be mentioned in the same breath. The earlier poster got it right, Albion organised peaceful protests and got what they wanted a new stadium, SmashEdos routine use of violence harrasment and intimidation have got them nowhere.
Didnt we hear of all this guff about a summer of resistance last year? What happened to that? Was it cancelled due to lack of interest? As for Ben Duncan, is he going to liase with SmashEdo to ensure that they cooperate with the police as he had promised to do? Is he going to insist that SmashEdo protestors do not wear masks? If the police take a hands off approach as he wants, will he personally make good the costs of any damage the prostestors do? I was there at their mayday protest, I remember them trying to smash up the McDonalds on London Road, then Barclays and then the smashing up of the Palace Pier, so is Ben Duncan going to stand surety for local businesses if SmashEdo run amok again?

A very selective memory...

All the Information commissioner found was no export licences between 2000 and 2007 approved for EDO MBM to send weapons components to Israel.

As it turns out this was because they have been doing it anyway without licences, this is why its illegal.

Paul Hills (MD of EDO MBM)admitted under oath in Hove Crown Court in June 2010 that his company own the sole rights to and act as design authority for the arming technology used on Israeli F-16 bomb rack, He also admitted EDO MBM used a US front company to sell this technology to the US Dept of Defense (unlawfully in US law). Evidence shows this is included in F-16 parts for Israel. A jury of 12 heard Paul Hills give evidence for five days and were not convinced by his attempted rebuttals of the Smash EDO arguments.

That jury acquitted 7 people who had openly admitted causing £300K damage to the factory risking 10 years in prison based on the arguments of Smash EDO.

Unlike the ranters in the pages of the Argus who can't see what stares them in the face, that jury effectively declared that EDO MBM are engaged in unlawful activities.

Why have the police never investigated what came out of that case?

Because Sussex police are hand in hand with the arms dealers in this city against honest anti-war protesters. Sussex police have invested so much in protecting these corporate criminals they are systematically corrupted by the relationship. That's why there is no point in Smash EDO dealing with the police, they are part of the problem. They will use any excuse to mass arrest, assault, detain and intimidate those who wish to draw attention to their dodgy friends at EDO MBM.
As for violence and destruction, nothing these protesters have done comes close to the death and destruction of the military operations EDO MBM assist on a daily basis. Yes they make parts for bombs, and missiles, not just pins, or nuts and bolts, but essential launchers, bomb racks, fuses, cables, arming units, electronic interface systems, guidance kits. They also have contracts to maintain weapons systems in operational airbases. They are a vital part of the war machine.

Play your party political games all you like. It matters not who is in power in the council- Greens, Tories, Labour they all do nothing in the end-- just talk.

What's needed is direct action.

You are the one with the selective memory, through out the trial you completely failed to prove that Edo export to Israel. Despite your toy soldier threatening to kill the MD of Edo and his children, a threat you called a politcal statement on your website. The jury certainly did not find that Edo were exporting illegally, in fact if the judge had not been blatantly anti Israel in that trial it would have come to a very different conclusion. You seem very ungrateful to the Greens as Caroline Lucas made herself look stupid on your behalf by making the factually vacuous statement that you "had clearly exhausted all democratic avenues" before smashing up a legally run business, a statement with no basis in reality. When you had a chance to find the evidence you need, when you broke into the factory you came away with nothing. I repeat you broke into the factory and you found no evidence to support your claims. You lie and twist and turn, your whole campaign is built on a lie, that there is a bomb factory in Brighton, you lie about the police, blaming them for the disruption that you seek to cause. You deliberately seek confrontation with the police in order to use the resulting violence to radicalise your supporters, copying SWP tactics that are as old as the hills. You are part of the problem, a tiny minority using violence to impose their extremist views on the majority, it is people like you that make weapons dangerous because it is people like you who use them, because you are so convinced that you alone are right and only you can see the way forward and that justifies you doing what ever is necessary to achieve your aims.
Your campaign has been a complete failure but still the elitist clique that run your campaign issue the same old orders to the sheeple that follow blindly. You carry on using the same old bankrupt tactics that have lost you the support of the people of Brighton. And all the while your fanaticism and violence damage the cause you claim to support, that of the Palestinians, by associating your thugish and illegal behaviour with the Palestinian cause you make it easier for Israels supporters to dismiss the Palestinians and their supporters as violent extremists with whom it is impossible to negotiate and for this you should hang your heads in shame.

Jhunty twists the facts again with another epic diatribe of misrepresentation and untruth.

Lets take each falsehood one at at a time

1. 'through out the trial you completely failed to prove that Edo export to Israel.'

Paul Hills (EDO MBM MD) admitted EDO Corp- parent company of EDO MBM- export to Israel. There are EDO Corp contracts in the public domain that prove this. What EDO Corp export to Israel are bomb racks
(called BRU-46/47s) for F-16 and F-15 fighter jets. This was also confirmed by Paul Hills in court. These bomb racks contain arming units (called ZRFAUs) the rights to which are solely owned by EDO MBM as confirmed by Paul Hills in court.

Over five days of evidence wherein Paul Hills admitted owning, being the design authority for, and providing technical assistance for these arming units Paul Hills denied the Brighton company had ever made one despite over 12 years of owning a component that is essential to numerous weapons systems and clearly in demand to this day.

If the jury had believed this denial they would have convicted the 7 activist who carried out the action.
Under the close scrutiny of cross examination it emerged Paul Hills had lied when he denied EDO MBM had never made the arming unit. He admitted that the company had manufactured them ( contradicting years of statements in previous court cases) and that EDO MBM had used a front company in the USA to pretend to be the manufacturer in the USA for the purposes of winning US contracts. Here he admitted deception of the US federal authorities. So the jury had the arguments of Smash EDO proved to them by Paul Hills himself. That is why they acquitted 7 people.

2. In the end party politics makes no difference on this issue. Its the political system that we should be ungrateful for, because its a sham, an exhausted sham.

3. Its true that the statement EDO MBM is a legally run business, has no basis in reality.

4. The decommissioners action was not a spying mission or a burglary, the evidence already existed and this was obviously their motive to damage the factory during the attack on Gaza. Why would 7 people get deliberately arrested and face ten years in prison on a wild guess. The facts were already known. The strong belief in those facts led to the action. Any other explanation makes no sense.

5. The tiny minority using violence to impose their extreme views on the majority are the US Government, the UK Government, the Israeli Government, and a tiny minority of other governments that support their wars for oil and greed, backed up by an arms industry ( whose boards of directors are the same people who run governments and military machines) deeply invested in the continuing use of war as a means of business development and personal gain.

6. The certainty of political elites in the rightness of their aggressive use of military force to achieve political aims is clearly fanatical and should be resisted, but is supported blindly by jhunty.

7. Collective resistance is not thuggery. Thugs are hired for money to threaten others. The only people who get hired at Smash EDO demos are the police to beat up protesters or illegally mass arrest them.

8. If you had ever been to Palestine you would learn that collective resistance is the only means to face down overwhelming military power. Breaking the laws of the occupier is entirely legitimate as a means to resist illegitimate law. It is the Israelis that refuse to negotiate in the Middle East. It is Sussex police that refuse to investigate the unlawful activities of EDO MBM in Brighton. We should all be ashamed of this clear political bias demonstrated by Sussex Police in favour of arms dealers, weapons designers and war profiteers.

Well said.

Shinypurpleshadow wrote:

AmboGuy wrote:

Shinypurpleshadow wrote:

kopite_rob wrote: Every Bank Holiday when I should be enjoying a break from work and supporting my local economy I find a reason to upsticks and go elsewhere. Normally its the travellers & tax dodgers tarnishing the seafront, if it's not them it's the Nazi Thugs from London, or the great unwashed putting up tents & trashing the greenscape. Now it's another rent a mob with a political agenda invading town. Why do they always find it necessary to come to the South coast to "express their views"?Whats wrong with London which is our political capital. Perhaps it's because our coppers are soft compared to the TSG of Olde London Town, and our political leaders are softer still. Wouldn't imagine for one minute any of these scenarios would happen in front of Buckingham Palace, yet the seafront and Pavilion are our "Buck House" and window to the world. What a great advert for Brighton, that every Bank Holiday we tolerate any old bunch of idiots wanting to make a point denying the rights of the majority to a peaceful and unthreatening weekend of relaxation. Still gives me an excuse to leave town for a weekend and benefit the economy of this countires more tranquil areas.

London is full of protests. I see various groups protesting almost every time I go there, whether it's a weekday or a weekend, near Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Oxford Circus, Whitehall... there are plenty of demonstrations in London. Your statement is utterly pointless. What you seem to be saying is that witnessing the enjoyment of people who have different views and values to your own is enough to spoil your weekend. I think this is quite sad but at least you have the sense to get out of the City and enjoy your weekend somewhere else. If you hate all these 'idiots' so much why don't you just move to the countryside permanently?

Why should he move permanently just because our yobs come down and smash up the place? What right do you have to tell him to do this? If that were the case then everyone who lives in a neighbourhood with few problem families causing trouble, vandalising the place and generally being unsociable should move out of their homes and give in to the trouble makers. Unfortunately the SmashEDO protesters are just like problem families in as much as they cause trouble for everyone else and generally act like hooligans.

Hi Amboguy. I'm not making this suggestion merely because of Kopite Rob's dislike of Smash EDO, but because he lists several loosely defined groups of people who he clearly finds undesirable such as 'tax dodgers' and 'travellers' who 'tarnish the seafront' (not sure how you tell a tax dodger or traveller from their appearance) and 'the great unwashed' putting up tents, which I take to be a reference to the small Occupy Brighton movement which was set up on the Steine on a patch of grass. Kopite Rob is talking about these groups of people 'trashing' and 'tarnishing' the landscape but I don't see how they are doing this any more than the hoards of tourists sitting in traffic jams in their cars, polluting the air and ruining the seaview for everyone else, and then filling up the beach, putting up their windbreakers and leaving their rubbish around everywhere.

I don't have a problem with tourists or with any of the other groups of people mentioned (Nazi thugs excepted), but I assume from Kopite Rob's logic that he does. If this is the case then why move to a diverse and busy tourist city in the first place? Conversely if this is not the case then why the suggestion that some people have no right to spend time here when others do? I'd like to know what antisocial behaviour the 'travellers', 'tax dodgers' and 'great unwashed' have engaged in to get his goat so much and who he even thinks he is talking about when he makes these massive generalisations.

I don't like generalisations, either. But when SmashEDO come to town they force others not to, or, those that are here to go. I have a vested interest in a busy Brighton Summer Bank Holiday. I run a business, and Smash EDO ruin the days takings. Simple. I can't go to my landlord and ask to pay less because of it, or the garage to ask if my diesel can be cheaper that day, or the food my family will eat that day. I suffer for an elitist bunch of idealists to express their opinion in Brighton centre (not Moulescombe, or as another poster said a.n.other town who has such employers/businesses
. And before you start that "holier-than-thou" making the world a better place clap-trap, get real. I don't see you in Zimbabwe, for example, campaigning against the use of weapons or their components.

zrfau wrote:
"A few profit – and the many pay. But there is a way to stop it.

You can't end it by disarmament conferences.

You can't eliminate it by peace parleys at Geneva.

Well-meaning but impractical groups can't wipe it out by resolutions.

It can be smashed effectively only by taking the profit out of war."

Major General Smedley Butler
War is a racket. (1935)

"You can quote anything, by anyone, to prove any point; but it doesn't make you clever, or right"
Lucky7 (2012)

brunswick2019 wrote:
If any of the Smash Edo scumbags urinate in my garden, as they did the last time they rioted (sorry, 'demonstrated'), they will experience a small piece of Hell.

Just try coming on to my property again, my lovelies; just you try it....

If Smash Edo do come on to your property during the next demo, give them a good kicking from me...

Hm , JHunty, are you not a bit too outspokenly biased to continue to police Smash EDO's demos? You seem to be developing an obsession...

So to summarize...

No one wants this group of wasters in our town and accordingly they will do well to stay away!

in the interim the trumped up little wasters posting for the ridiculous, pointless nuisance would do well to keep their thoughts to themselves.

To summarize

Threats of fascist violence will not deter people from exercising free speech in the condemnation of the war industry.

zrfau wrote:
To summarize

Threats of fascist violence will not deter people from exercising free speech in the condemnation of the war industry.

If they didn't run riot, destroying property (and hiding their faces whilst doing it), people might be more tolerant towards Smash Edo; acting like violent thugs won't endear you to anybody.

Unfortunate choice of name for this group, too; 'smash' Edo. Very violent and intimidating...

zrfau wrote:
To summarize

Threats of fascist violence will not deter people from exercising free speech in the condemnation of the war industry.

To summarize, nasty little impotent wasters like you should look elsewhere

Lucky7 wrote:

zrfau wrote:
"A few profit – and the many pay. But there is a way to stop it.

You can't end it by disarmament conferences.

You can't eliminate it by peace parleys at Geneva.

Well-meaning but impractical groups can't wipe it out by resolutions.

It can be smashed effectively only by taking the profit out of war."

Major General Smedley Butler
War is a racket. (1935)

"You can quote anything, by anyone, to prove any point; but it doesn't make you clever, or right"
Lucky7 (2012)

Totally agree, I'm sure there's a catchy little quote out there said by some random army guy years ago that could make the exact opposite point to the one above!!!
" You use quotes from 1935 as your argument because you have nothing better to say yourself" AmboGuy (2012)

charlie smirke wrote:

Helmut Polisher wrote:

davyboy wrote:

Fight Back wrote:
SmashEDO do not represent the residents of this city ( in fact most of their group are bused in for their protests ). It's about time they respected the wishes of those of us that live here ( and indeed were born here ). We don't want this demo on the extended weekend ( regardless of the reason for the extension ). GO AWAY !!!!! You are nothing but a group of selfish troublemakers who have no interest in those people who live in this wonderful city. As for Councillor Duncan's statements - well if there was no other reason not to vote Green this is a very real reason to kick them out.

To SmashEDO - why do you not go and protest in Reading, Crawley, Basingstoke, Wells - all have far bigger arms companies ? Oh, I know, because they are hardly as nice as a day by the seaside !!!! Idiots each and every one of you. The police should use whatever heavy handed tactics are required to quell and subdue them.

agree 100%. what a waste of oxygen they are. as you say, a nice jolly to the seaside, to protest against a factory which will be closed. D'oh!!!!!

I agree 100% with your post.

I totally agree as well, get rid of these troublemakers by whatever means necessary.

Have to agree whole heartedly with this. Move on EDO, I'm sick of you clogging up my city on the busiest days of the year. I'm also sick of my council tax having to be used to police you - and **NO** the police **SHOULD NOT** take a 'hands off' approach because then you would wreak even more havoc!

I entirely agree

EDO need to leave town, they just cause arguments, and our council tax is being wasted defending them.

The police should certainly take action against them for once, instead of harassing decent protesters all the time.

Leaving EDO to carry on as they please will just lead to more death and destruction around the world.

How much do you want to bet that 'Brussels' Lucas, who couldn't be bothered to turn up to the Green's first budget meeting, will make a rare attendance in Brighton to be on this demo (as she did the last time that the Smash Edo troublemakers ran riot)

zrfau wrote:
I entirely agree

EDO need to leave town, they just cause arguments, and our council tax is being wasted defending them.

The police should certainly take action against them for once, instead of harassing decent protesters all the time.

Leaving EDO to carry on as they please will just lead to more death and destruction around the world.

Laughable...........
....waster!

brunswick2019 wrote:
How much do you want to bet that 'Brussels' Lucas, who couldn't be bothered to turn up to the Green's first budget meeting, will make a rare attendance in Brighton to be on this demo (as she did the last time that the Smash Edo troublemakers ran riot)

Did Kirby and Weatherly turn up then? I wasn't aware that MPs were supposed to attend Council meetings.

She was on R4's Any Questions a couple of weeks ago. Not from Brighton, from somewhere in the north west

Number Six wrote:

brunswick2019 wrote:
How much do you want to bet that 'Brussels' Lucas, who couldn't be bothered to turn up to the Green's first budget meeting, will make a rare attendance in Brighton to be on this demo (as she did the last time that the Smash Edo troublemakers ran riot)

Did Kirby and Weatherly turn up then? I wasn't aware that MPs were supposed to attend Council meetings.

She was on R4's Any Questions a couple of weeks ago. Not from Brighton, from somewhere in the north west

You would think that 'Brussels' Lucas, who during the election styled herself as 'people's champion' (this was written on the side of the van that she was campaigning from) might actually bother to turn up to a budget meeting in the city that elected her.

She obviously has far-more important EU business to attend to...

brunswick2019 wrote:

Number Six wrote:

brunswick2019 wrote: How much do you want to bet that 'Brussels' Lucas, who couldn't be bothered to turn up to the Green's first budget meeting, will make a rare attendance in Brighton to be on this demo (as she did the last time that the Smash Edo troublemakers ran riot)

Did Kirby and Weatherly turn up then? I wasn't aware that MPs were supposed to attend Council meetings. She was on R4's Any Questions a couple of weeks ago. Not from Brighton, from somewhere in the north west

You would think that 'Brussels' Lucas, who during the election styled herself as 'people's champion' (this was written on the side of the van that she was campaigning from) might actually bother to turn up to a budget meeting in the city that elected her. She obviously has far-more important EU business to attend to...

Are you saying Mike Weatherly and Simon Kirby are not people's champions? SHOCKING!!!

It seems they didn't support any of the Conservative amendments to the budget.

Can we just dispel this ridiculous fiction that Smash EDO are in any way bothered about armaments for Israel. All that they and their "brothers in arms" are interested in is having a ruck with the forces of law and order. Have a go at a copper and their day is complete.In any case what's wrong with helping the Israelis ?

surreyseagull - I agree. Israel is a fellow democratic country. Israel has a right to exist & we must be more critical of the Palestinians for not giving up violence.
Lucas must condemn Palestinian suicide bombers, instead of glorifying them. Peace will only come when Palestinians agree to speak & negotiate with Israel.

brunswick2019 wrote:
If any of the Smash Edo scumbags urinate in my garden, as they did the last time they rioted (sorry, 'demonstrated'), they will experience a small piece of Hell.

Just try coming on to my property again, my lovelies; just you try it....

Yes, yes; quite so...

hursthill wrote:
surreyseagull - I agree. Israel is a fellow democratic country. Israel has a right to exist & we must be more critical of the Palestinians for not giving up violence. Lucas must condemn Palestinian suicide bombers, instead of glorifying them. Peace will only come when Palestinians agree to speak & negotiate with Israel.

Yeah, them nasty palestinians throwing their rocks at tanks

Its the above negative, immature and middle class comments like calling protesters 'rioters' that cause distrust in the youth and make matters worse. Protesting is a right given to us so that we can voice our opinion in this democratic Country.

When i was a student, i took part in the Smash EDO protests because I was inquisitive and interested in the reasons.

Me and a friend went along to hand out flyers and not cause trouble like the very small minority (of protesters) do.

Wile me and my friend were calmly protesting, i saw a Brighton resident get pulled by his hair by a police women on a horse, we were kettled for 4 hours, in which someone passed out and wasn't allowed out so aid and water was thrown over the police barricade and, I my self was hit on the legs when i tripped and stepped out of line.

i am really upset to see people supporting the police's hard approach and was pleased to see that the Green government is keeping to their promise to being an honest party.

I would just like to point out to the people who complain that most of the protesters are 'out of towners'. 1) From what i saw, most of the people causing trouble were residents joining the protest half way through just to cause trouble and not knowing what the cause is. 2) most of the police causing trouble are brought in especially from London and are specialist (and very exprensive) riot police who are trained to deal with Irish style riots and not peaceful Brighton protests.

Whether people believe or understand the cause or not is not my point. My point is raised about the police's approach to these riots and i strongly feel that they exasperate the situation with their behaviour. I strongly agree with the MP who said that the police should have a softer approach because the way protesters are treated in the smash EDO is inhumane and undeserving and only makes people angry.

I was lucky enough to not get hurt in the times that i was there. i was calm, peaceful and educated on the cause but i still got hit on the back of the legs.

loveBrighton wrote:
Its the above negative, immature and middle class comments like calling protesters 'rioters' that cause distrust in the youth and make matters worse. Protesting is a right given to us so that we can voice our opinion in this democratic Country.

When i was a student, i took part in the Smash EDO protests because I was inquisitive and interested in the reasons.

Me and a friend went along to hand out flyers and not cause trouble like the very small minority (of protesters) do.

Wile me and my friend were calmly protesting, i saw a Brighton resident get pulled by his hair by a police women on a horse, we were kettled for 4 hours, in which someone passed out and wasn't allowed out so aid and water was thrown over the police barricade and, I my self was hit on the legs when i tripped and stepped out of line.

i am really upset to see people supporting the police's hard approach and was pleased to see that the Green government is keeping to their promise to being an honest party.

I would just like to point out to the people who complain that most of the protesters are 'out of towners'. 1) From what i saw, most of the people causing trouble were residents joining the protest half way through just to cause trouble and not knowing what the cause is. 2) most of the police causing trouble are brought in especially from London and are specialist (and very exprensive) riot police who are trained to deal with Irish style riots and not peaceful Brighton protests.

Whether people believe or understand the cause or not is not my point. My point is raised about the police's approach to these riots and i strongly feel that they exasperate the situation with their behaviour. I strongly agree with the MP who said that the police should have a softer approach because the way protesters are treated in the smash EDO is inhumane and undeserving and only makes people angry.

I was lucky enough to not get hurt in the times that i was there. i was calm, peaceful and educated on the cause but i still got hit on the back of the legs.

It's a shame you're lying through your teeth though isn't it?

Most people complaining AREN'T out of towners, most of the people here complaining are the people who live here who have to put up with the problems caused by the SmashEDO rioters. We don't mind demonstrations but why is it that SmashEDO are the only ones who cover their faces? Why would they do that if they weren't out to cause trouble? Why has it been to only demonstration where criminal damage and assaults on the police are a regular occurence? If you want to see trouble caused by SmashEDO you only have to look on YouTube - it's not difficult to see that it's not a 'small minority' causing trouble either. Your obvious anti Police attitude also shows the average 'them and us' mentality of a protester out to cause trouble.
To say that it was the local residents causing the most trouble is laughable and insulting to the locals who live here - unlike to protesters who get bussed in every year, would the locals really be vandalising their own neighbourhood?
Please try to come up with something a bit more plausible.

mhaiti wrote:

hursthill wrote:
surreyseagull - I agree. Israel is a fellow democratic country. Israel has a right to exist & we must be more critical of the Palestinians for not giving up violence. Lucas must condemn Palestinian suicide bombers, instead of glorifying them. Peace will only come when Palestinians agree to speak & negotiate with Israel.

Yeah, them nasty palestinians throwing their rocks at tanks

And also firing missiles into residential areas...

Pork William wrote:

mhaiti wrote:

hursthill wrote:
surreyseagull - I agree. Israel is a fellow democratic country. Israel has a right to exist & we must be more critical of the Palestinians for not giving up violence. Lucas must condemn Palestinian suicide bombers, instead of glorifying them. Peace will only come when Palestinians agree to speak & negotiate with Israel.

Yeah, them nasty palestinians throwing their rocks at tanks

And also firing missiles into residential areas...

And persecuting homosexuals, liberals and Christians. Yeah those poor Palestinians never did any harm to anyone....did they?

AmboGuy wrote:

Pork William wrote:

mhaiti wrote:

hursthill wrote:
surreyseagull - I agree. Israel is a fellow democratic country. Israel has a right to exist & we must be more critical of the Palestinians for not giving up violence. Lucas must condemn Palestinian suicide bombers, instead of glorifying them. Peace will only come when Palestinians agree to speak & negotiate with Israel.

Yeah, them nasty palestinians throwing their rocks at tanks

And also firing missiles into residential areas...

And persecuting homosexuals, liberals and Christians. Yeah those poor Palestinians never did any harm to anyone....did they?

Well this is the problem that the 'Left' faces; on one hand, it is terribly trendy to support Palestinians, but how does the Left square this with the way Palestinians treat gays? Gay men tend to be beaten-up and thrown from the tops of buildings and lesbians tend to be gang-raped and then set on fire. The UN has many times criticised Palestine for inflicting this punishment on gays and lesbians, but the pro-Palestinian lot go very quite when you remind them of this.