We wish to thank everyone who attended the anti-EDO MBM rally and march on Saturday for their composure and solidarity in the face of another display of excessive policing by Sussex Police.

Officers tried to accost speakers at Churchill Square and cameras were constantly trained on newcomers as well as known activists to maintain an intimidatory atmosphere.

Earlier in the week we announced we wished to march down Queens Road, North Street, London Road and on to The Level. As soon as people began to gather in Churchill Square they were handed a notice to enforce the exact same route, threatening arrest if this route wasn't adhered to. At the bottom of North Road police forced marchers to deviate from this route on to Richmond Place.

Officers aggressively prevented people leaving the narrow confines of the police cordon to hand out leaflets to other members of the public in a clear attempt to stifle our democratic rights.

The many Sussex Police were again joined by officers from Surrey and the Metropolitan forces. As taxpayers we wish to ask Superintendent Kevin Moore the cost of this operation.

Camera teams followed some marchers afterwards in an unnecessarily sinister manner after a peaceful march against an arms company which is clearly unwelcome in our United Nations Peace Messenger City.

The high turnout on Saturday is further evidence the campaign against EDO MBM is growing despite attempts to stifle the right to protest.

-Andrew Beckett, Smash EDO press spokesman