The statement we signed says
We are refusing to fill out our census form in protest at the British Government for contracting American arms manufacturer Lockheed Martin to run it - one of the largest arms companies in the world. They have been paid £150 million, the profits of which will further their organisation
Lockheed Martin make a range of weapons such as cluster bombs, British Trident Nuclear Missiles and F16 fighter jets which have been sold to 25 countries including Israel and Bahrain. They are also engaged in surveillance and data processing for the CIA and provided contract interrogators to the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq and Guantanamo Bay in Cuba
Lockheed Martin UK is part of the US giant. The contract could have been given to local authorities or to British companies with an ethical remit.
It is essential that the British Government recognise that it matters a great deal how they spend taxpayers money. A country which claims to respect human rights cannot engage arms manufacturers to carry out its civil duties.
We are prepared to make this stand and face prosecution for civil disobedience in solidarity with those oppressed and killed by the weapons they make.
As usual activists have been creative about other ways to obstruct Lockheed Martin and still fill it in. On this web site are 2 alternative forms https://network23.org/countmeout/links-and-resources/
and on this one http://tinyurl.com/obstructlockheedmartin there is advice about how to cost them more money
here is a Guardian article http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/feb/19/census-boycott-lockheed-martin?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487nd wikipedia has more info http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Martin - particularly interesting is the number of times it has been prosecuted for 'contractor misconduct'.