Anti-war direct action at military software development centre
led by veteran irish revolutionary socialist Eamonn Mc Cann- direct action against the Raytheon company that supplies software to the Israeli war machine. The parralels with companies who aid the Israeli effort here in Auckland are obvious. As the bloodshed continues day after day in Lebanon and Palestine, the time for direct action has come! Oscmar, Starbucks, what will we do?
09/08/2006 - 09:46:18
Anti-war demonstrators in Derry stormed a software development centre today in protest at Israel’s bombardment of Lebanon.
Nine people forced their way into the Raytheon Systems plant in the city’s Springtown industrial estate as soon as the doors opened.
Another 20 stood outside holding placards demanding an immediate end to the violence.
As police arrived at the scene, one of those involved in the occupation pledged to stay inside as long as possible.
Veteran civil rights campaigner Eamonn McCann claimed that although the factory does not manufacture any weapons, its technology was being used to aid killings in the Middle East.
He said: “It’s a major supplier of high-tech equipment to Israel and other western forces. We see it as a direct relevance to what is happening in the Middle East and we wanted to dramatise our opposition to it.”
Mr McCann said those who pushed their way in as workers began their shifts just after 8am were part of the Derry Anti-War Coalition.
“We will stay here as long as we can,” he insisted. “This is a high-tech business making technology which is capable of a number of appliances, some of which we see on our television screens daily with the attacks on Lebanon.”
S. E. A. Statements
Is Derry involved in Lebanon Massacre?
Sunday 30th July 2006
The atrocious bombing of Qana again raises concern that technology developed in Derry is aiding the Israeli assault on Lebanon and Gaza.
First reports suggest that the basements in Qana where the victims had sought shelter had failed to withstand the bombs. The bombs were apparently "bunker-busters," of a type which the US has been rushing to Israel over recent days. There has been controversy about the transport of these "GBUs"---guided bomb units--- through Prestwick in Scotland. The technology for the GBUs was developed by Raytheon.
Socialists and anti-war campaigners have been pressing for an end Raytheon's presence in Derry since the company set up here in 1999. The company was introduced to Derry by John Hume and David Trimble, who argued that its arrival would help consolidate peace!
Since then, the mainstream parties, the SDLP, the UUP, Sinn Fein and the DUP, have endorsed Raytheon's presence in Derry. In light of current events, we now call on members of these parties to tell their leaders to change their tune.
We specifically ask Nobel Peace Prize winners Hume and Trimble publicly to withdraw their support for Raytheon.
Raytheon has a long-standing close relationship with both the Israeli military establishment and the Pentagon. Raytheon missiles used by Israel include Mavericks, Sidewinders, Sparrows and Patriots---innocent-sounding names for high-technology killing machines.
Over the years, Raytheon has received hundreds of millions of US tax-payers' dollars to supply these missiles. Much of the money never leaves the US. Raytheon ships out the weapons to Israel and invoices the Pentagon.
This gives Raytheon a vested interest in the conflict. It is not just a company supplying a market, but a propagandist for Israeli policies. Adam Cherrill, manager of business development at Raytheon, has said that, "To qualify for self-determination, a people must show some kind of national identity...What political organisations, social institutions, literature, art, religion or private correspondence express any ties between the Palestinian people to the Land of Israel?"
Cherrill has also said that, "Israel has a far stronger claim to Judea and Samaria, which is considered the West Bank, than the Arabs."
This is not business talk but political talk. Raytheon is driven by ideology as well as by hunger for profit.
We again urge members of the main local parties to press their leaders to declare that Raytheon isn't welcome here.
Davy McAuley
Related
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eamonn_McCann
Comments
Computers damaged in arms firm anti-war demo
By Brendan McDaid
09 August 2006
Anti-war protesters today stormed American arms manufacturer Raytheon's Londonderry base, with nine people barricading themselves into the building and wrecking equipment.
The protesters were soon locked in a tense stand-off with upwards of 50 police, after some inflicted considerable damage, especially to computers.
According to the protesters, the computer system was "completely disabled".
Amid chaotic scenes at the Buncrana Road site, thousands of documents and dozens of computers were burned and thrown from windows by members of a group that entered at 8am.
Among those who entered to protest against the world's largest missiles manufacturer was veteran civil rights campaigner and Belfast Telegraph columnist Eamonn McCann.
An American flag was also set alight and a glass door smashed as debris rained down from a second floor window and littered the area outside.
A banner was unfurled from inside the building, reading: "Raytheon has been decommissioned".
A dozen more people protesting over the deaths of Lebanese civilians remained outside, with placards bearing anti-war and anti-Raytheon slogans.
Speaking from inside, as dozens of uniformed police gathered, Mr McCann said: "The people of Derry cannot go on feeling shock and horror as they watch TV screens and do nothing,
"I certainly would not welcome an arrest and prosecution, who would? But judgment has to be made. People felt they had no option but to take this form of direct action."
Around 50 police were on the premises both inside and out as the protest developed. There were minor scuffles as they tried to prevent people leaving the scene without being searched and a cordon was erected around the building, with the protesters pushed back and informed that the area was a crime scene.
A spokeman for Raytheon said this morning that the company is not making any comment "on this particular occasion"
9 Arrested In Vandalism Of Raytheon's N Ireland Office
Wednesday August 9th, 2006 / 23h46
BELFAST, Northern Ireland (AP)--Police on Wednesday arrested nine protesters who broke into the Northern Ireland software center of U.S. defense contractor Raytheon Co. (RTN) and smashed windows and computers.
The protesters in Londonderry, Northern Ireland's second-largest city, said they blamed Raytheon for designing missile-guidance systems and other military software being supplied by the U.S. to Israel in its current conflict with Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon.
Raytheon declined to comment.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland said Raytheon employees fled as the protesters ransacked the office's control room. At least two computers were seen smashed on the pavement outside, after being thrown out of upper-story windows; a third dangled from its power cord out one window.
Among those arrested was Eamonn McCann, Northern Ireland's most well-known socialist activist. Police said the nine protesters were being questioned at two police stations in the city and in another town, Coleraine.
Police had permitted about 30 protesters to gather with placards outside the Raytheon office, and moved in only after some of the protesters forced open a door and stormed inside.
Raytheon is the fifth-largest defense contractor in the U.S. It opened Raytheon Systems Ltd. in Londonderry in 1999 to develop software with both military and civilian applications, particularly radar and air-traffic-control systems. Since its arrival, left-wing activists have demanded that it close, but most Catholic and Protestant political leaders have united behind the project, citing Londonderry's chronic unemployment problems.
The city's Catholic member of British Parliament, Mark Durkan, said the protesters were jeopardizing future U.S. corporate investment.
"People are rightly free to voice their disgust at the violence in the Middle East and the failure of Britain and America to challenge or contain Israeli actions. People are also free to express opposition to the arms trade and the role of a company like Raytheon at a global level within that," Durkan said. "But destroying property and possibly prejudicing other investment and employment prospects is not the way to register such concerns
Re: Anti-war direct action at military software development cent
im in Mr Policeman. we should stop giving you all of our ideas so that you can read them on Indymedia.
War protesters storm Raytheon- Up to 50 police involved in stand
Anti-war protesters today stormed American arms manufacturer Raytheon's Londonderry base, with nine people barricading themselves into the building and wrecking equipment
By Brendan McDaid
09 August 2006
.
The protesters were soon locked in a tense stand-off with upwards of 50 police officers, after some of them inflicted considerable damage, especially to computers.
According to the protesters, the computer system was "completely disabled".
Amid chaotic scenes at the Buncrana Road site, thousands of documents and dozens of computers were burned and thrown from windows by members of a group that entered the building at 8am today.
Among those who entered the premises to protest against the world's largest missiles manufacturer was veteran civil rights campaigner Eamonn McCann.
An American flag was also set alight and a glass door smashed as debris rained down from a second floor window and littered the area outside.
A banner was unfurled from inside the building, reading "Raytheon has been decommissioned".
A dozen more people protesting over the deaths of Lebanese civilians remained outside, with placards bearing anti-war and anti-Raytheon slogans.
Speaking from inside the complex, as dozens of uniformed police gathered, Mr McCann said: "The people of Derry cannot go on feeling shock and horror as they watch TV screens and do nothing,
"I certainly would not welcome an arrest and prosecution, who would? But judgment has to be made, people felt they had no option but to take this form of direct action."
Fellow anti-war protester and member of Socialist Environmental Alliance Goretti Horgan, who was one of those protesting outside the building at the Ulster Science and Technology Park on Buncrana Road, said: "There is a bit of property damage but that is as nothing compared to the thousands of people dying.
"We had to do the damage in order to get a chance to put Raytheon in the dock. We want to try and stop or slow down Raytheon production even for a short while because any kind of delay to getting bombs to Israel to drop on innocent Lebanese and Palestinian people has to be welcomed."
Around 50 police were on the premises both inside and out as the protest developed.
There were minor scuffles as police tried to prevent people leaving the scene without being searched and a police cordon was erected around the building, with the protesters pushed back and informed that the area was a crime scene.
A spokeman for Raytheon said this morning that the company is not making any comment "on this particular occasion".
The protest was the latest in a line of actions taken against the arms giant by anti-war protesters in Derry.
In March 2003, 12 people invaded the premises and conducted a short sit-in.
Raytheon is the world's fourth largest arms manufacturer and the largest missile manufacturer. It developed Tomahawk Cruise, Hellfire and Patriot missiles and related software currently being used in the war on Iraq.
The company was brought to Derry as part of Northern Ireland's "peace dividend" following the ceasefires after a lobby by politicians.
However Raytheon's presence in the city has led to numerous protests and it warned jobs would be lost if the protests - which included a "grave digging" ceremony in November 2004 - continued.
BBC- Defence firm protesters arrested
Nine people occupied the offices on Wednesday
Nine people occupied the offices on Wednesday
Nine anti-war protesters who have been occupying the Londonderry offices of the defence company, Raytheon have been arrested by police.
They have been taken to police stations in the city and in Coleraine.
The Derry Anti-War Coalition had been throwing computer equipment and documents out of first floor windows.
The protesters claimed "weapons manufactured by Raytheon were being used by Israel to bomb Lebanon".
The company is a leading weapons manufacturer, although it has said its Derry operation is involved in software for air traffic control systems.
The facility was previously occupied by people demonstrating against the use of Raytheon weapons in Iraq.
Raytheon, a US firm, makes the Patriot, Tomahawk, Cruise and Sidewinder missiles.
However, the company has said its Derry operation is limited to software development and not the physical manufacture of weapons.
Nine people occupied the offices on Wednesday morning, with about 20 protesting outside with placards.
Re: Anti-war direct action at military software development cent
Oscmar is the better target as Starbucks in NZ is under different management that in the states.
Why not get all the info on Oscmar up here before Saturday so that people can decide what to do?
pictures of Raytheon thrashed!
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/77825
comrades held in custody for another three weeks without bail
ly.
Supt Hanna described as "substantial" the damage caused to the building and its contents by an unknown number of the protesters who threw confidential files and documents, computers, printers and hard drives from the first floor.
About an hour after the takeover, dozens of PSNI officers, among them members of the Tactical Support Group, cordoned off the building. There then followed a stand-off during which a special team of police negotiators was flown to Derry from Belfast.
The protesters said they were refusing to leave the building until Raytheon, which makes software used in guided missiles, promised to close its Derry operation, with the loss of over 30 jobs.
The firm has always denied direct or indirect involvement in the arms industry, saying its Derry plant is used for research purposes. It has refused to comment on the forced entry and the damage caused.
Spokespeople for the protesters said if they were formally arrested, charged and cautioned they would deny any offence and challenge the authorities to prosecute them.
"We want our day in court. We want Raytheon in the dock," said Goretti Horgan, a protest organiser.
© The Irish Times
comrades held in custody for another three weeks without bail
ly.
Supt Hanna described as "substantial" the damage caused to the building and its contents by an unknown number of the protesters who threw confidential files and documents, computers, printers and hard drives from the first floor.
About an hour after the takeover, dozens of PSNI officers, among them members of the Tactical Support Group, cordoned off the building. There then followed a stand-off during which a special team of police negotiators was flown to Derry from Belfast.
The protesters said they were refusing to leave the building until Raytheon, which makes software used in guided missiles, promised to close its Derry operation, with the loss of over 30 jobs.
The firm has always denied direct or indirect involvement in the arms industry, saying its Derry plant is used for research purposes. It has refused to comment on the forced entry and the damage caused.
Spokespeople for the protesters said if they were formally arrested, charged and cautioned they would deny any offence and challenge the authorities to prosecute them.
"We want our day in court. We want Raytheon in the dock," said Goretti Horgan, a protest organiser.
© The Irish Times