BRIMAR REPUBLIC

The number of activists using incendiary Smash Edo style tactics to organise against the UK arms trade continues to rise (up). The latest group, joining other such luminaries as Smash Raytheon and Shut Down Heckler & Koch, are Target Brimar; aiming to put a spanner or two in the works of their local weapons manufacturer.

Last Saturday’s Manchester Anarchist Bookfair saw the launch of the new campaign, going after Brimar, a company in Oldham producing military targeting and viewing systems. Brimar’s controversial heads-up, heads-down display systems, specialist cathode ray tubes and in-helmet displays are used in wars in Gaza, Afghanistan and Iraq by Israeli and British Apache helicopter pilots, US marine tank operators and US fighter pilots. Although Brimar also has its civillian arm, the majority of its output goes to producing military-use ‘visual solutions’, allowing soldiers to aim and deploy their weapons more effectively. The company even boasts on its website that ‘war-fighters around the world rely on Brimar products every day’. Nice.

Target Brimar emphasise that the company was not always as heavily involved in the production of military gear as it is now, and that it would be perfectly viable for the company to return to only manufacturing products for civilian use.

They kicked things off last Monday (5th) with a surprise action at the factory as a number of civilian weapons inspectors turned up and tried to search the premises. They also released a research dossier detailing the links between Brimar and the bloodshed and publicised their call out for a public demo at Brimar’s premises in Chatterton on Saturday 17th October. The day’s actions will be in solidarity with the EDO decommissioners* and will include a Critical Mass from the centre of Manchester. For more see www.targetbrimar.org.uk

* The decommissioners, of course, being the six people who broke into EDO/ITT during the bombing of Gaza and trashed the place (See SchNEWS 663). Their court case has now been adjourned until May next year (See SchNEWS 693) which doesn’t much help one them who is now stuck longer on remand in HMP Horfield. Please send messages of support to Elijah Smith, XP7551, HMP Bristol, 19 cambridge Road, Horfield, BS7 8PS

** Those interested in coming to the October 17th demo from Brighton or London can contact smashedo@riseup.net for transport details.www.smashedo.org.uk