In early morning the 14th of November a number of Ofog activists came to Aimpoint AB in Malmö, Sweden, a producer of red dot sights used prolifically in war, for example in Iraq and Afghanistan. Martin Smedjeback, 35, did a quick weapons inspection before he was stopped by the police and taken aside. Annika Spalde, 39, also aimed to get over but was stopped by the police before she got the chance to get over the fence. Meanwhile the other activists held a vigil outside Aimpoint where they mentioned the names of about twenty of the many victims of the Iraq war.
“We Europeans make money of our wars in the global south. It is shameful to build wealth on such activities”, says Annika Spalde, a deacon in the Swedish Lutheran Church.
Aimpoint has sold 400 000 red dot sights to the USA worth at least 240 million US dollars. These are mounted on the M16 and other common weapons in the US army. It is used in Iraq and Afghanistan.
”Born and bread in Malmö I am ashamed that my hometown is partially responsibly for the death of thousands of people. Aimpoint sights are used in the Iraq war, a war which is in violation of international law according to the government of Sweden, says Martin Smedjeback, Malmö.
Today’s action at Aimpoint is a part of the campaign Avrusta (Disarm) which is a part of the antimilitaristic network Ofog. Its goal is to stop the Swedish weapons export which has more than doubled only in the 21st century.
Contact: Martin Smedjeback, +46-70-2579097, smedjeback@gmail.com
Pictures from the action:
http://www.ofog.org/avrusta_bilder
More information:
