After church on Sunday in Lund they had a speaker, Martin Smedjeback spoke about an action that his group, Avrusta (Disarm!) conducted in 2008 (although the web page says that they did this in 2009, I don't hardly think they can have done something a month and a half in the future ;)
On October 16, 2008, two groups of activists carried out some planned civil disobedience. Sweden, although it pretends to be neutral on the question of wars, not only contributes soldiers to international forces, but they sell weapons to pretty much anyone willing to pay for them.
They entered the production facilities of Saab Bofors Dynamics in Eskilstuna. After putting up a sign stating that disarmament was underway, they destroyed a few Carl Gustaf anti tank launchers just using hammers and other stuff you can get at a hardware store.
However, no security or anything showed up (!), so they had to call the police and turn themselves in. That is the point of civil disobedience, you have to be arrested and call attention to why you are doing what you are doing. The police did arrive, and arrest them.
They were tried and sentenced to 4 months in prison. You may wish to note than men convicted of rape or swindling large sums of money often get suspended sentences in Sweden.
Life in a Swedish prison is apparently not bad - except that you have no internet. Nothing for me!
The discussion afterwards was the question of civil disobedience - can it have an effect? And how best to point out people getting rich selling implements of death?
On October 16, 2008, two groups of activists carried out some planned civil disobedience. Sweden, although it pretends to be neutral on the question of wars, not only contributes soldiers to international forces, but they sell weapons to pretty much anyone willing to pay for them.
They entered the production facilities of Saab Bofors Dynamics in Eskilstuna. After putting up a sign stating that disarmament was underway, they destroyed a few Carl Gustaf anti tank launchers just using hammers and other stuff you can get at a hardware store.
However, no security or anything showed up (!), so they had to call the police and turn themselves in. That is the point of civil disobedience, you have to be arrested and call attention to why you are doing what you are doing. The police did arrive, and arrest them.
They were tried and sentenced to 4 months in prison. You may wish to note than men convicted of rape or swindling large sums of money often get suspended sentences in Sweden.
Life in a Swedish prison is apparently not bad - except that you have no internet. Nothing for me!
The discussion afterwards was the question of civil disobedience - can it have an effect? And how best to point out people getting rich selling implements of death?
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment