16 oct 2009: Carl-Gustaf granade launchers & Haubitz cannons disarmed
October 16, 2008 saw two coordinated actions against leading weapon factories in two different cities located in central Sweden. Equipped with hammers and bolt cutters the activists gained access to the manufacturing halls where they found and disarmed weapons used in the American-led war in Iraq and warfare material destined for India.
Videos: http://www.ofog.org/avrusta_aktionsvideo
Images: http://www.ofog.org/avrusta_bilder
Summary of Avrusta disarmament actions since Oct 16, 2008
Since nonviolent disarmament actions are beginning to stock up, here follows a brief summary of all actions in the Avrusta campaign to end Swedish arms exports. The list begins with the most recent actions. Hence, start from the bottom if you are looking for a chronological recap.
8. After being released by the police, in the early hours of Sunday October 19, Martin and Anna return to Saab Bofors Dynamics to do the action they were prevented from performing earlier. They cut three holes in the fence, above which they place signs with the text: "Here are weapons produced. Welcome to disarm". After that they leave a number of letters for the employees with an invitation to dialogue. Then they call the police, and subsequently they are both arrested. Sunday morning they are released for the third time, now suspected for trespassing and criminal damage one more time.
7. Around 11 am, Saturday October 18, Anna Andersson and Martin Smedjeback are taken in by the police outside the area of Saab Bofors Dynamics outside Eskilstuna, when they are planning to get into the area again. They tell the police exactly what they were planning and then are held for several hours. Then they are released again.
6. In the early hours of Saturday, October 18, Annika Spalde is arrested inside the industrial area of Bofors in Karlskoga, after having cut a hole in the fence and walked in to continue the disarmament. She is released around 6 am, suspected of criminal damage and trespassing.
5. Catherine Laska and Pelle Strindlund are confined to a remand jail in Örebro on Friday, October 17, pending trial.
4. Anna Andersson and Martin Smedjeback are released on Thursday night, October 16, suspected of severe criminal damage.
3. On Thursday noon, October 16, the fifth member of the group, Annika Spalde invites members of the media and makes a public attempt to enter the Bofors industrial area in Karlskoga. She is ushered away by police and promises to return at a later time.
2. At the same time in Karlskoga in Western Sweden, Avrusta colleagues Catherine Laska and Pelle Strindlund enter a BAE Systems facility at the Bofors industrial site. They place a sign stating "This factory produces arms used in war - disarmament underway" before they go inside to hammer and scratch parts for nine units of the Howitzer 77, an artillery system destined for India. Cattis and Pelle also damage arms parts bound for the US before (in)security personnel arrives and detains both.
1. At 2:35 am on Thursday, October 16 2008, Anna Andersson and Martin Smedjeback of the Avrusta (Disarm) campaign break into the arms factory Saab Bofors Dynamics in Eskilstuna. They render some 20 (the company claims 14) Carl Gustaf anti tank launchers useless, among other war components, using household tools. Having alerted police, they are detained at 3:20 am.