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28-Feb-2002

Five arrested after disrupting army propaganda event

by: Andreas Speck

London: On 21 February, the British Army Presentation Team was preparing for "just another propaganda event", with local business and "valuable members of the local community" in Watford, just 4 miles from Northwood, home of the British military's "joint forces HQ" and a central site for overseas military operations.

More than 200 people were present - including the local MP, mayor and mayoress, the Assistant Chief Constable of Hertfordshire police, councillors and representatives of local business. However, this event turned out rather differently than the military expected.

Shortly after the presentation began, a group of antimilitarists threw eggs (not very vegan!) filled with red paint at the multimedia presentation screen and unfolded a banner reading "The army lies, the army kills". Handfuls of confetti reading "All soldiers are potential murderers" on one side and "All soldiers are potential deserters" on the other, were thrown around the room and one of the group gave a short speech explaining the reasons for disrupting the event.

The activists were then - unlawfully - detained and assaulted by the military and the management of the venue (including by a Major in the British Army), until the police arrived and arrested them for "criminal damage" and took them into custody. They were only released more than 22 hrs later, on police bail (due to reappear at Watford on 27 March) and might be charged with conspiracy to cause criminal damage. The police seized a digital camera and minidisc recorder.

Social attack on the military

The army presentation - and similar events carried out by the other forces too -is part of a propaganda war, not only to recruit new soldiers, but more to anchor the military within British society, and to present it as a normal part of our lives. It is aimed at generating widespread acceptance of militarism and military means: to question the army (or the military in general) is supposed to be unthinkable. It is therefore important that antimilitarists nonviolently "attack" this kind of propaganda event wherever and whenever possible - it is not our criticism that should be unthinkable, but the very existence of the military should be seen as scandalous.

See the flyer at http://www.ippy.fsnet.co.uk/kills_lies.pdf

Contact: The D10 Group
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http://www.northwood.cjb.net
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Source: The d10 Group