Swedish
Peace Activists Repeatedly Break Into Weapon Factories
By Bill Quigley
20 October,
2008
Countercurrents.org
Using hammers and bolt cutters,
peace activists repeatedly broke into weapon plants and damaged weapons
in Sweden. Activists from the Swedish group OFOG/Avrusta admitted
damaging twenty high explosive grenade launchers as well as internal
parts to a Howitzer 77. Five people were arrested. Two remain in jail.
Two activists who were arrested and released were re-arrested after
they returned to the weapons plant to do more damage. A fifth person
was arrested Saturday in another break in. All are facing trial on
charges from criminal damage to trespass at places of national security.
Members of the Swedish peace and disarmament group OFOG/Avrusta say
they have been preparing for more than a year to carry out the actions.
OFOG, which loosely translates as the word mischief, is a network
of activists working for a nuclear free and demilitarized world. Avrusta
is Disarm in English. The group released information to the press
announcing their actions and posted videos of their entry and damage
on You Tube. See: http://www.ofog.org/avrusta_aktionsvideo
At about 2:30 a.m. Thursday morning, activists approached the BAE
Systems weapons facility in Karlskoga, Sweden, about 240 kilometers
away from Stockholm. According to statements to the press, they used
bolt cutters cut open a hole in the security fence and entered. They
left behind a banner welcoming others which said “The door is
open – you are free to start disarming.” The activists
used hammers to damage internal parts like cooling aggregates and
hydraulic cylinders for the Howitzer 77. A fully operational Howitzer
77 can fire 6 rounds every second for 20 minutes and has a firing
range of 30 kilometers. Inside, media reports note that the duo managed
to affix a poster to the door which said “In this factory are
manufactured weapons that are used to wage wars – Disarmament
is underway.” Disarmament activists, Cattis Laska, 24, and Pelle
Strinlund, 37, were arrested and charged with trespassing and criminal
damage. Laska is a youth leader and Strinlund is a writer. Both remain
in jail pending a hearing.
Simultaneously, other activists entered a weapons facility run by
Saab in Eskilstuna, Sweden, about 135 kilometers away. According to
OFOG/Avrusta, they damaged twenty grenade launchers with hammers and
then alerted guards to their presence. Anna Andersson, 26, and Martin
Smedjeback, 35, were arrested and charged with trespass, severe criminal
damage, and entering a protected national security area. Andersson
is a web developer. Smedjeback is a trainer in non-violence. Both
were released from jail on Friday.
The weapons damaged in the Saab plant were described as Carl Gustav
type grenade launchers. These are shoulder mounted anti-tank weapons
which can fire high explosive rounds. The weapons were reportedly
found in boxes labeled for delivery to “US” and “New
Delhi.” BAE has a long term contract with the Indian government
for howitzers and grenade launchers, according to reports in the Hindu
Times.
After being released from jail Friday, Andersson indicated she was
glad to be going to trial. “I look forward to a chance to ethically
and legally argue for our actions in court. I hope one day the arms
manufacturers will be charged for the criminal damage that Swedish
armaments cause in wars and conflicts around the world.”
In a surprise move early Saturday, Andersson and Smedjeback returned
to the weapons plant where they were arrested again. They now remain
in jail.
Also early Saturday morning, a fifth member of the group, Annika Spalde,
39, cut her way through the fence around a weapons plant in Karlskoga
and hung a banner encouraging more disarmament actions. She was later
arrested. She is charged with severe criminal damage and trespass
in a place of national security. Spalde, who was later released, is
a deacon in the Swedish church, an author and peace activist.
BAE Systems, owner of the Karlskoga plant, describes itself on its
website as “the premier global defence and aerospace company”
with 100,000 employees world-wide and annual sales of $31.4 billion.
BAE authorities confirmed the break in. Curiously, BAE press people
in the US reported “very minor” damage while the BAE security
manager in Sweden told the press there that he estimated damage at
50,000 euros and was not certain whether the damage would create delays
in scheduled deliveries of the weapons or not.
Saab, owner of the Eskilstuna plant, proclaims it serves the global
market with products, services and solutions ranging from military
defence to civil security. It says it has 13,700 employees and world-wide
sales of $2.5 billion. Lasse Jonsson, spokesperson for Saab, told
the media, "They have scrapped a quantity of weapons' spare parts
that awaited export. Only after the police investigation has been
completed will we be able to calculate the exact extent of the damage
caused."
Maja Backlund, spokesperson for OFOG, was quoted in the Hindu Times:
"Civil disobedience and action are most vital parts of democratic
development. Our colleagues who breached the Saab factory managed
to damage 25 grenade launchers of the Carl Gustav brand that are in
extensive use in Kashmir and other war zones in India." OFOG
also claims that some of the weapons damaged were of the same type
as used by the U.S. military in Iraq.
Members of OFOG claim Swedish weapons exports have risen 88 percent
since the US invasion of Iraq. They further claim that the Swedish
government is violating its policy of peace and neutrality by supplying
warring countries with arms.
Deacon Spalde insisted these actions were necessary. “When your
government supports an illegal war and sells arms to dictatorships,
it’s time for ordinary citizens like us to take action.”
OFOG/Avrusta said “This action is the first disarmament campaign
in the 21st century in Sweden.” At this point, the campaign
says it consists of activists willing to risk arrest and another fifty
support people.
“Our activists have prepared themselves for more than a year
for this campaign,” said a group member who asked to remain
anonymous. “They are ready to serve time in prison if Swedish
society should fail to see that nonviolent civil disobedience to suspend
the disastrous Swedish arms exports to wars and dictatorships is less
of a breach of law than these amoral arms exports.”
More disarmament actions, OFOG/Avrusta promises, will be forthcoming.
By Bill Quigley is a human rights lawyer and law professor at Loyola
University New Orleans. His email is [email protected]