In the summer of 2006, nine anti-war protesters broke into the offices of a US multinational firm in Derry and caused thousands of pounds worth of damage. The protesters were taken to court, but were acquitted after successfully arguing that they were acting in defence of the victims of war.
The story received little attention outside of Northern Ireland. In this week’s Documentary on One, former BBC Radio Foyle journalist Michael Bradley returns to Derry to tell the full story.
The Occupation tells the story of how a small group of anti-war protesters caused a multinational arms manufacturer to leave Derry. The Raytheon company, makers of the Tomahawk cruise and Patriot missile systems, set up a software facility in Derry in 1999. It was hailed at the time as part of a 'peace dividend' following the signing of the Good Friday agreement of 1998.
In 2006 ,after years of protest by the Derry Anti-War Coalition , the company's offices were occupied and computer equipment was deliberately destroyed. The protestors were tried and acquitted by a jury at Belfast Crown court after successfully arguing that that were acting in defense of the innocent in south Lebanon, where missiles manufactured by the company had been used by the Israeli Defence Forces.
In 2010 Raytheon pulled out of Derry, but refused to admit it was because of the actions of the anti-war protesters.
Journalist, author and politician Eamonn McCann, who led the protests, says the occupation was his proudest moment in more that forty years of social activism.
The documentary also features well known RTÉ GAA pundit, Joe Brolly who was barrister for some of the protestors and argued in court that the protesters were acting in defence of the innocent in South Lebanon.
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