Active Resistance to Metrication
Encyclopedia
Active Resistance to Metrication (ARM) is a British pressure group, founded in June 2001 opposed to metrication
in the United Kingdom
. ARM state that their current membership is "in the dozens".
ARM are known for direct action
tactics such as the removing or amending of road and footpath signs whose measurements are expressed in metric units only, which ARM says are illegal. In 2002, as part of a campaign by the group, various road and footpath signs in metre
s which the group claimed contravened the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002, were removed by ARM member Tony Bennett
. He was prosecuted for an action in Kent
where he removed about 40 metric signs. He was found guilty in May 2002 of theft and criminal damage by Maidstone
Magistrates' Court
. In October 2002 his conviction for theft was overturned by Judge Keith Simpson at Maidstone Crown Court
. Judge Simpson upheld the conviction for criminal damage
but discharged the sentence, which had been 50 hours of community service. Up to September 2004 Bennett was arrested six times as part of the group's campaign to remove metric signs which they claim are illegal. He was charged three times, but received only the one conviction in 2002.
Metrication
Metrication refers to the introduction and use of the SI metric system, the international standard for physical measurements. This has involved a long process of independent and systematic conversions of countries from various local systems of weights and measures. Metrication began in France in...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. ARM state that their current membership is "in the dozens".
ARM are known for direct action
Direct action
Direct action is activity undertaken by individuals, groups, or governments to achieve political, economic, or social goals outside of normal social/political channels. This can include nonviolent and violent activities which target persons, groups, or property deemed offensive to the direct action...
tactics such as the removing or amending of road and footpath signs whose measurements are expressed in metric units only, which ARM says are illegal. In 2002, as part of a campaign by the group, various road and footpath signs in metre
Metre
The metre , symbol m, is the base unit of length in the International System of Units . Originally intended to be one ten-millionth of the distance from the Earth's equator to the North Pole , its definition has been periodically refined to reflect growing knowledge of metrology...
s which the group claimed contravened the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002, were removed by ARM member Tony Bennett
Anthony Bennett (English politician)
Anthony John Stuart Bennett is an English politician and campaigner. He was a member of the British political party Veritas and was listed on the database of the Electoral Commission as official leader for three days, before the real leader was revealed as Robert Kilroy-Silk.In 2006, he began a...
. He was prosecuted for an action in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
where he removed about 40 metric signs. He was found guilty in May 2002 of theft and criminal damage by Maidstone
Maidstone
Maidstone is the county town of Kent, England, south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town linking Maidstone to Rochester and the Thames Estuary. Historically, the river was a source and route for much of the town's trade. Maidstone was the centre of the agricultural...
Magistrates' Court
Magistrates' Court
A magistrates' court or court of petty sessions, formerly known as a police court, is the lowest level of court in England and Wales and many other common law jurisdictions...
. In October 2002 his conviction for theft was overturned by Judge Keith Simpson at Maidstone Crown Court
Crown Court
The Crown Court of England and Wales is, together with the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal, one of the constituent parts of the Senior Courts of England and Wales...
. Judge Simpson upheld the conviction for criminal damage
Property damage
Property damage is damage to or the destruction of public or private property, caused either by a person who is not its owner or by natural phenomena. Property damage caused by persons is generally categorized by its cause: neglect , and intentional damage...
but discharged the sentence, which had been 50 hours of community service. Up to September 2004 Bennett was arrested six times as part of the group's campaign to remove metric signs which they claim are illegal. He was charged three times, but received only the one conviction in 2002.