Basque activists target arms factory

IssueSeptember 2005
News by Howard Clark

The G8 coincided with Spain's most famous fiestas at San Fermin in which youths dressed in white with red neckerchiefs run with bulls in the streets of Pamplona. Antimilitarists from KEMMOC (Movement of Conscientious Objectors) linked the two by launching a campaign against arms manufacture at a Sener factory on the outskirts of Bilbao.

Sener, who make missiles, guidance systems and turbojets, is one of 14 arms manufacturers supported by Basque government investment. Referring to Sener's role in the Taurus cruise missile programme, activists dressed as missiles with horns and performed street theatre outside the factory by chasing others in the San Fermin white and red. Meanwhile four other activists entered the factory grounds where they chained themselves to a fire escape on which they hung a banner. They were removed by Basque police.