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War crimes in Brighton?

N Stone & A Nolan

On 11 June, a demonstration against arms manufacturers EDO/MBM Technology was held by campaigners in Brighton. Smash EDO claim the company manufactures components for weapons used in the Iraq war.

In 2004 Raytheon systems awarded EDO #6.5 million to provide the weapon to pylon interface for the Paveway IV precision-guided bomb. During operation "Enduring Freedom" in Iraq, an estimated 500 were dropped in combat.

Battle of wills

Approximately 200 people joined the demonstration with shoppers from the streets of Brighton joining in. Some demonstrators felt there were a few too many police officers present for the size of the demo and said they felt intimidated.
The previous day, Superintendent Kevin Moore told the local press, "We are happy for them to march as long as they go where we want them to go. If they go outside of that then we will stop them."
What followed was a gentle battle of wills as to where and when the protest would travel, including at one point being hemmed in all sides, creating what one protester declared "a democracy sandwich".

Vital evidence

Eventually police escorted the group along North Street and then up to John Street police station, where the group wanted to report the evidence of EDO's war crimes.
On hearing of Smash EDO's plans to deliver evidence against EDO to the police station Superintendent Moore had stated in The Argus the day before that, "We will not be investigating them for war crimes because that is nonsense." Once in front of the crowd and a BBC camera crew, he said the police would "consider the allegations made against EDO MBM Technology". However no crime or incident number was provided.
There were no arrests.

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