Thursday January 01 1970
Mass Blockade of Raytheon Derry, 7am Fri 9th Jan
derry |
anti-war / imperialism |
event notice 
Tuesday January 06, 2009 23:11
by Goretti Horgan - Derry Anti War Coalition
resistderry at aol dot com
Help shut down operations for a day
Blockade in solidarity with people being massacred in Gaza
The jury at the trial of the Raytheon 9 accepted that Raytheon's Derry plant was linked to the rest of the company's international operations, and therefore contributing to the war crimes being carried out by the Israelis in Lebanon in Summer 2006. Today, those war crimes are being surpassed by the barbarity we see being perpetrated by the Israelis in the Gaza Strip, as 42 people, many children, died when an Israeli rocket hit a UN school. Unfortunately, Raytheon remains in Derry, contributing to those war crimes.
Security in the Raytheon premises has been massively upgraded since the August 2006 occupation and especially since the Gaza onslaught began. There is heavy police surveillance most of the time with the intention of keeping protesters away.
Therefore, at a packed meeting last night, the Derry Anti War Coalition decided to call a mass blockade of Raytheon in Derry for Friday 9th Jan. We intend to let no one into the building to start any work. It will, of course, be a peaceful, non-violent protest. We need lots of people there at 7am before the first workers arrive but, for those who cannot make it that early, it would be great if you could come at 9 or 10 to let others away for a hot cuppa and a warm-up. There is a bus that leaves Busára in Dublin at 4am and gets to Derry about 7.15. Raytheon is just a £3 taxi drive from there (and all the taxi drivers know where it is). Anyone travelling to Derry the night before bring a sleeping bag and, ideally, email or text and let us know in advance.
We need to let Raytheon know that the people of Derry do not want Merchants of Death in our midst.
Anyone needing more information, email resistderry@aol.com or phone Davy McAuley on 07521527208.
Comments (17 of 17)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17We have had a number of queries from people working in the same building as Raytheon asking if they will be allowed through the blockade. This will depend on how the blockade is policed. If the PSNI respect the right to protest, then we should be able to organise a specific entrance for the call centre workers. However, if the police make it difficult, then the Stream workers may end up having a day off....
The roof of the Raytheon building in Bristol looks like a camping site. Three anti-arms trade protesters have been up there since 9th Dec. A fourth joined them recently, despite the bitter cold weather.
For full details of the Bristol rooftop protesters see http://www.bristol.indymedia.org/article/689490
Daddy Bear
Those for whom you are contributing the benefits (and we thank you for all your sacrifice) are actually trying to contribute to a better world where our fellow man can live in both peace and equality and without the fear of foreign armies coming in and murdering them and their children. Still if working in Stream is more important to you, make your feelings known at the picket line tomorrow morning and we will ensure that you get in to work safely and unmolested.
Hi all , i totally agree with what this protest is about and if i wasnt working in stream that day i would particpate myself as I cant believe the suffering the palestenian people are experiencing at the hands of israel at the moment . Will I be able to get into work tomorrow in stream building one..Ive just recently started training this week for stream and need this job and stream have informed employees that if they do not get into work tomorrow they may face disciplinary measures.. Will the protestors be allowing cars to park in the car park at stream or will you be blockin all traffic into the ulster science and technology park
Much solidarity
Wish I could make it, but have prior wage slave commitments at the same time.
I can pay the bus fare of a blockader from Dublin if one is heading up etc.
Make contact when you get back etc
Good luck
You have little to worry about stream worker if all you have to face is a slap on the wrist for not coming in to work.
Imagine if Israeli tanks were shelling your house. Imagine hearing your kids scream in fear. Imagine having to pick their bodies out of the wreckage of your own home and then having to bury them with hundreds of other mourning people. And all you care about is weather or not you get to sit behind a desk. Don't be so pathetic and come and join the protest. Do some good with your life.
Report from BBC News:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/foy...3.stm
Raytheon workers allegedly being bused to Belfast ?
Well done to your succesfull blockade.Can we have an update please..
So all the stream worker worries about is getting to sit behind their desk? Imagine they get fired from their job for not showing up, imagine they have childrend to feed but cant afford to keep up the bills because they lost their job. I think this is a bit more likely than picking their children from rubble, which incidently would be a better use of your time rather than a pointless protest. But Des, you took the time from your busy schedule to do so some good with your life, and im sure there are people alive today who may not be if it werent for the actions of yourself and others today. We, the pathetic "wage slaves" are in awe.
Des
How dare you post something like that, That is nothing less than digusting what you posted. I appreciate that what is happening in Gaza is wrong but how dare you suggest that the Stream worker getting a slap in the wrist is ok because of your protest.
That employee first and foremost has to look out for his family and with times being tight and Christmas being just past most of us need every penny going. It is completly wrong for you to compare such things and for one if that is the mentality of the DAWC as a whole you have lost any support you may have had from myself.
Heavy policing of peacefull protest is a nationwide problem and indeed a waste of taxpayers money.I hope all the above write a complaint into the appropriate Justice departments and demand that this practice end.
And again well done for shutting down Raytheon for the day .
It is quite clear that call centre workers were not the targets of the action and had accecss to the building.
So you forced the workforce of Ratheon to work from home today whilst forcing workers in other offices to travel to belfast, thus achieving nothing more than getting Eamonn McCann's face in the news for a bit. Well done.
Bemused.
We forced people to become aware of the bigger picture.
People were inconvenienced for one day, yes. Is that such a big deal when you consider the bigger picture and what we are trying to stop?
We sent a message to the Government.
We sent a message to Raytheon.
We reinfused the peace movement, especially in the North West and shook off the cobwebs.
Some of us are not pepared to just sit by and do nothing while weapons are made and people die...
While i really do support the point you are trying to make i believe that this protest will have lost you
a lot of support from ordinary Derry folk/workers. For long enough we have been fighting to get jobs here
and now we have the likes of Stream and HML. I really feel that protests should be orchestrated so
that Derry workers are not affected, especially if you want to gain more support in this town.
it has already been stated in the article at the top of this page that if the protest was not policed right then Stream workers would have a day off. Thats hardly not intimidating for anyone who works there. I'm just stating that you would gain much much more support from people if workers weren't brought into this.
Concerned.
Why not come along to the next DAWC meeting?
Bring your friends. Get involved.
We need to increase awareness in Derry especially as too many people do not get the big picture.
This is not about keepin work out of Derry. Its about bringing ETHICAL jobs to Derry.
Raytheon make weapons. We do not want them here and we should not have to suffer them here.
Is this the kind of work you or your friends want to do? To watch the TV and see bodies of innocents strewn across the ground knowing that you helped make the weapons that did it? Of course you don't.
There is no reason why protests will cost Derry jobs. I think you are over-reacting just a tad.
Concerned
I think you will find (read it and think again) that this is aimed at the PSNI and the sometimes heavy-handed tactics they use. If they had not policed it properly then they would have turned everyone away and not let anyone in, sealing up the park and the building Raytheon are in. The only people who were intimidated were the protestors, by the heavy hands of the PSNI. No change there.
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