Nottinghamshire Anti-militarism Feature Archive

On Thursday 23rd October, Nottingham Crown Court rejected the appeal against the conviction of Henry Twigger. Henry was found guilty of Criminal Damage in July, for painting anti-war slogans on the Army Careers Office at the Victoria Centre, in Milton Street, Nottingham.

Thursday’s hearing was about appealing this conviction. Henry's main plan was to point to the 'lawful excuse' provided for in 5.2.B. of the Criminal Damage Act 1971. The idea, as it is contained within a number of pieces of law, is to claim necessity or committing a crime to prevent a greater one. Mr Chris Coverdale from the Campaign to Make Wars History had turned out to assist Henry, but his evidence was disallowed.

Henry says he won't pay the fines and costs because it 'aids and abets' the system he's protesting about.

Students at the University of Nottingham protested "unethical career corporatism" at the university's careers fair on Monday and Tuesday. Dressed as grim reapers, students payed a visit to arms dealers BAE Systems, Rolls Royce and Qinetiq, as well as energy giants E.On and BP. Leaflets detailing the crimes of some of the companies were hounded out and the protesters even had a stall next to the Army's stall.

The protesters aimed to highlight the hypocrisy of organisers, AIESEC, who claim to embody "Peace and fulfillment of humankind's potential" whilst giving a platform to arms dealers, as well as to "oppose the general presence of mechanisms of the capitalist death machine." Their success was highlighted by the noteable absence of several targetted companies on the second day of the fair.

Newswire: Students Target Unethical Career Corporatism | Shell Shuts Up | Students Call For An End To University Involvement In The Arms Industry | Notts Indymedia Anti-militarism topic page

Previous Feature: Protests as arms dealers attend careersfair

Links: Nottingham Student Peace Movement | AIESEC UK

In recent weeks, international headlines have been dominated by conflict between Russia and Georgia over South Ossetia. What may not be apparent is the role played by Nottingham-based arms company Heckler & Koch. It has emerged that Georgian elite forces fighting in the province have been illegally armed with Heckler & Koch assault rifles.

According to Human Rights Watch, the Georgian military "used indiscriminate and disproportionate force resulting in civilian deaths in South Ossetia". However, that hasn't stopped these war criminals from becoming customers of Heckler & Koch.

Upcoming Event: Monthly picket outside Heckler & Koch's Nottingham offices from 4pm Monday 8th September at Easter Park, Lenton Lane.

Previous Features: Protesters Return to Nottingham Weapons Manufacturer | Protesters Target Nottingham Weapons Manufacturers

Links: NottsAntiMilitarism | Campaign Against the Arms Trade | Wikipedia on the South Ossetia war | Notts Indymedia Anti-militarism topic page

On Tuesday May 6, anti-arms trade activists returned to the offices of small arms manufacturer Heckler & Koch, Nottingham Small Arms Facility, Unit 3, Easter Park, Lenton Lane, Nottingham NG7 2PX (map). Campaigners met at Abbey Bridge before marching to the office where they staged a protest. A similar event had been held at the same location in July last year.

Despite remaining entirely peaceful, the protest was heavily policed and campaigners were graced by the presence of a team of Evidence Gatherers from Nottinghamsire Police alongside PC Ian Skivens (CO5494) from the Metropolitan's Forward Intelligence Team (FIT) and PC Paul Mather (4551) from Staffordshire Police.

Upcoming Event: Heckler & Koch Campaign Meeting, Tuesday May 13, 8pm at the Sumac Centre. See article for more info.

Audio: as featured in #5 the June Show ~ Riseup! Radio

Newswire: Smash EDO interview | You can have your pigs back Boris | Surveillance at Demo at Heckler & Koch weapons manufacturers HQ in Nottingham | Demo at Heckler & Koch weapons manufacturers HQ in Nottingham | No arms trade - Shut Down Heckler & Koch! Demonstration Tuesday May 6th

Previous Feature: Protesters Target Nottingham Weapons Manufacturers

Links: NottsAntiMilitarism | Campaign Against the Arms Trade | FIT Watch | Heckler & Koch | Wikipedia on Heckler & Koch

On Monday April 28, activists from Trident Ploughshares blockaded the Rolls Royce factory at Raynesway, Derby. Using two concrete lock-ons, chains and bike locks they were able to disrupt the facility for five hours. A specialist police cutting team had to be brought in from Staffordshire to chisel out those using the lock-on. The factory was targetted because it is used to make and test the reactor which power Britain's nuclear submarines. As such it is a vital part of the programme to replace the Trident missile system.

Trident Ploughshares spokesman Malcolm Carroll said: "We view our peaceful protest as a major success. We have highlighted our views that Rolls-Royce is acting immorally by building reactor cores for Trident submarines' nuclear weapons system. This is the first time that we have brought this type of protest to Derby and it may not be the last. Hundreds of people used this form of mass blockade at the Trident nuclear base at Faslane, in Scotland, over a year-long period called Faslane 365. Who is to say that we can't have a Derby 365?"

Newswire: trident protesters arrested out side rolls royce derby | Notts Indymedia Anti-Militarism Topic Page

Previous features: Strident students blockade at Faslane | Protesters take action at Derby nuclear plant | Nottingham folk succesfully blockade nuclear submarine base in Scotland | Nuclear? No thanks! | Derbyshire police go over the top again

Other Coverage: BBC Derby | Derby Evening Telegraph

Links: Faslane 365 | Rolls Royce | Trident Ploughshares

Two Students at the University of Nottingham are on a hunger strike in response to the on-going “Siege on Gaza” and the University investment in the Arms trade.

Two student activists at the University of Nottingham have been on hunger strike whilst camping on campus since Tuesday the 22nd. The hunger strike will last until the end of the week and has been taking place in front of the main library (the Hallward) on University Park Campus.

The hunger-striking students, and many others, are concerned about the most recent, particularly inhumane, and on-going “Siege on Gaza”, the continued Israeli aggression in the area, and the proliferation of arms as a result of the arms trade, which leads to the deaths of innocent people not only in Palestine, but in situations of military oppression around the world.

At Easter 1958 the recently formed Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) organised a march from London to the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment close to Aldermaston in Berkshire, England. On March 24 2008 CND marked the anniversary of this event by returning to the base. Protesters from around the country formed a four and half mile long human chain around the base, symbolically closing it.

A contingent from Nottingham and Leicester went along to participate in the protest. They joined protesters from the East of England at the "Boiler House" gate to express their opposition to the renewal of the Trident nuclear missile system and call for nuclear disarmament.

Audio: Nottingham, Leicester and Lougborough Join Aldermaston Blockade - an audio piece

Photos: Aldermaston Anniversary

Newswire: Nottingham, Leicester and Lougborough Join Aldermaston Blockade - an audio piece | 50th Anniversary of founding of CND - event in the Market Square | The Bomb Stops Here: Surround the Base | Notts Indymedia Anti-militarism Topic Page

Links: Aldermaston 2008 | Aldermaston Women's Peace camp | CND | Nottingham CND | Leicester Mercury Coverage: 1 | 2

It is now five years since the invasion of Iraq and its consequences are obvious for all to see. Estimates of the death toll, suggest that more than a million Iraqis may have been murdered since the invasion. In addition, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that more than 2.2 million Iraqis are internally displaced, with a further 2 million having fled to neighbouring states, particularly Syria and Jordan. The explanation for these stark figures lies in the surge in sectarian conflict, widespread state repression, ongoing US-UK military operations, endemic criminality and growth of Islamic fundamentalism, all of which have been facilitated, if not actively encouraged, by the US-UK occupation.

This carnage has not taken place without opposition. The anti-war movement globally, nationally and locally has campaigned against US-UK imperialism in Iraq since the possibility of an attack was first mooted shortly after September 11th. The movement's concerns echoed in Nottingham as they did elsewhere, encouraging many local residents to get active.

Newswire: Stop the War: Five Years on (report) | Stop the War: Five Years on (photos 1) | Stop the War: Five Years on (photos 2) | Notts Indymedia Iraq Topic Page

Links: Nottingham CND | Nottingham Stop the War Coalition | Nottingham Student Peace Movement | Veggies Against War

About 30-40 people gathered at the UK headquarters of Heckler & Koch, the world's second-largest manufacturer of handguns, assault rifles, machine guns and grenade launchers. It was recently found out that their HQ is based on an industrial estate in Lenton, Nottingham so some people decided to pay them a visit...

There were about the same amount of police officers as protesters, in an attempt to keep them off the actual estate where the company is based. There was also the honour of the Forward Intelligence Team (FIT) who travelled all the way from London for the event. The demonstration was called by the Nottingham group of 'Disarm DSEi' which is a grassroots campaign against the UK’s largest arms fair, at which Heckler & Koch will be exhibiting their weapons later this year.

Photos: Protest at Heckler & Koch : Pictures

Audio: Interview with one of the protesters - mp3 3.4M | What are we here for? - short speech - mp3 1.8M

Links: Nottingham Disarm DSEi Group | Demo Annoucement | Press Release (PDF) | Heckler and Koch Q and A (PDF) | Wikipedia on Heckler & Koch

Students from Nottingham have been involved in the Strident (Students Against Trident) blockade of the Faslane nuclear weapons base over the weekend.

On Fri 29th June, at 6:30am, 6 students from Nottingham and Bradford Universities arrived at the North entrance, superglue-ing their hands together to blockade the main entrance at shift change (Report and pics). They were all removed after around 40 minutes and arrested for Beach of the Peace. At the same time, 3 more students from Nottingham were arrested after blocking the South entrance using a concrete blockade. On Sat 30th, six Nottingham students were arrested following blockades at the North and South entrances of the base (Report).

Photos: Students Against Trident blockade North and South gates at Faslane nuclear base

Reports: Nottingham Students Get Strident | More Nottingham students arrested at Faslane | All Notts Students released

Previous local involvement in anti-Trident actions: Nottingham folk successfully blockade nuclear submarine base in Scotland | Protestors take action at Derby nuclear plant

Links: Faslane 365 | Faslane 365 Students | Faslane Peace Camp | Trident Ploughshares

It has come to light that in the early hours of Thursday 10th May a convoy carrying nuclear warheads secretly passed through the Stapleford and Chilwell area of Nottingham. The vehicles were spotted driving into the Chetwynd Barracks in Chilwell at 6.30am for a rest stop. Heading for the Royal Naval Armament Depot (RNAD) in Coulport, Scotland, the convoy was spotted along the M1 and also the next day as it continued its route along the east coast and along the Edinburgh Bypass. According to a spokesperson for Nukewatch UK, who keep an eye on nuclear convoys around the UK, the route hasn't been used since the early 90's. She also mentioned that no convoys have been spotted entering the Chetwynd Barracks and it might be an indication of the convoys starting to use the Chetwynd Barracks for rest stops.

The convoy passed through dense populated areas in Stapleford and Chilwell before and after its rest stop at the army base on Chetwynd Road, Chilwell. According to campaigners each lorry weighs approx 44 tonnes and can carry up to 2 ready assembled nuclear warheads, which can contain up to 8 kg of plutonium and uranium each. Each of the modern warheads has the capacity of creating 8 times the impact of that of the bombs used in the attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki by America in 1945. The convoy was spotted leaving Burfield Atomic Weapons Establishment, 50 miles North of London around 12.30am on Thursday morning. At Burfield AWE the warheads and explosives get assembled into working nuclear weapons. There were people stationed along the route from Stirling to Coulport attempting to resist the convoy. Read report.

Links: Map of location Chetwynd Barracks | Nukewatch UK | Nottingham CND |Nuclear Warhead Convoy Routes | Video: UK nuclear warhead's on the move, November 2006 | Nuclear Warhead Convoy on the road today (report from Edinburgh)

Protesters take action at Derby nuclear plant on the 21st anniversary of Chernobyl, in solidarity with Faslane365 Environmentalist blockade. Twenty-one years ago today, the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster caused large areas of Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia to be badly contaminated with radioactive material, resulting in the evacuation and resettlement of over 336,000 people. To mark the anniversary of this environmental and a humanitarian catastrophe, protesters today disrupted work at Rolls Royce Raynesway near Derby, which makes and tests the enriched uranium fuel rods that power Britain's Trident nuclear submarines.

The protest was timed to coincide with a blockade being carried out by a group of environmentalists at Faslane in Scotland, where the Trident submarines are based. One of the protesters, James Evans aged 24, said: "With the government intending to replace it's illegal Trident system, and to build more nuclear power stations in the UK, it's vital that ordinary people take a stand to prevent future nuclear disasters."

Previously on the newswire: Rolls-Royce Raynesway, Derby. Action, Protest, Blockade | Rolls Royce Blockade- Rainsway, Derby | Derbyshire police go over the top again - Rolls Royce

Over 50 people from Nottingham and Derby successfully blockaded the Faslane Nuclear Naval Base In Scotland today. Various blockade groups in intriguing lock-on devices and some plastered together blocked the main entrance to the site. Police started removing people from 8.30 onwards but had problems with removing people from a 6 way lock-on device, which held strong for another 2 hours. The police had to draft in specialist equipment from other forces to deal with the device. 18 people were arrested and have been moved to Paisley. The blockade lasted for over 4 hours. Whilst on the phone to someone at the scene, one could hear a lot of chanting and cheering as one protester managed to shout 'no to nuclear weapons' just before being put in a police van.

The action is part of an international campaign to blockade the naval base throughout the year in a bid to stop the replacement of the controversial Trident Missile System. Blockades have been taking place for the last few months by groups from around the country. See UK Indymedia Faslane Page for more reports.

Photos and reports: Robin Hood blockades the Base | Robin’s Trip to Scotland… Part 1. | some more pics

Audio: Nottingham folk blockade nuclear submarine base in Scotland - a radio piece

Timeline: see full article.

Links: Faslane 365 | Wikipedia on Trident Missile System | Wikipedia on replacement of Trident | More Trident Links

Previous articles: Stop Robbin’ the Poor - Notts says NO to Trident!! | Nottingham residents mobilise against Trident replacement | Fundraiser for Notts Faslane 365 this Sunday | Nottingham Faslane 365 sign-up stall | What will you be doing? | Nottingham Faslane 365 News : 6th Feb 07 | Nottingham Blockade of Faslane Trident Base

The building of 10 new nuclear power stations, the replacing of the Trident nuclear submarinesa and recently Tony Blair announcing the governments new nuclear power policy at Nottingham University, all sparked protests and this week has been no exception. A protest took place in Derby where campaigners handed a letter to Mrs Beckett, head of DEFRA, outside Derby City Council about the dangers of nuclear powerstations.

In both Nottingham and Derby pickets took place. In Nottingham on the Market Square people from Nottingham CND informed passers-by about the controversial replacement of Trident, UK's largest nuclear submarine project and asked people to sign the petition. You can sign the petition here.

From the newswire: No To Nuclear Power Protest - Derby | The Nottingham Thingy just growed | No Trident Replacement protest March 25th | Anti Nuclear Power Protest - Derby 25th March | Day of action as Tony Blair sets out new nuclear power policy in Nottingham

Links: Nottingham CND | New Nuclear Power, no thanks | Documentary on fifty crows on Chernobyl reactor disaster | Map of nuclear reactors

Hundreds of people gathered on Sunday for a day of talks, information, discussion and workshops on the theme of peace.

The Nottingham Students Peace Movement's conference welcomed Sam Azad (International Federation of Iranian Refugees), author Milan Rai and Alan Simpson MP to lead a discussion on "justice not vengeance." They were followed by lecturers Richard Keeble and Beryl Aldridge and Notts Indymedia's Wietse talking about combating media bias. Both sessions welcomed extensive audience contributions. Various workshops were later held on alternative media, creative campaigning, civil rights and black activism.

Event photos
Listen to media bias debate
See full timetable

Nottingham Student Peace Movement would like to invite all campaigners and activists to this year's Peace Conference on Sun 26th Feb, at the University of Nottingham, for a day of discussion and networking aimed at discussing local campaigns and actions. Whilst we are inviting speakers to share their experiences with attendants, the focus of the day will be on group discussion and formulating practical ideas.

It would appear that Derbyshire police is going to use the usual tactic of over policing a peaceful event and hamper anyone who tries to have a lawful protest. Despite the organisers liaising with the local police authority over the anti-Trident work being carried out at Rolls Royce factory, this Monday, Derbyshire Police have applied and got a Section 14 order from the local council. See police statement.

Previously Derbyshire police used Section 14 to control protests at the G8 ministerial meeting in March. According to the local rag there were "A thousand officers from 23 forces" and "policing the event was expected to cost between £1m and £2m", since there were perhaps 100 protestors it cost around £20,000 per protestor...

Photos of the event: [1] [2]

More Photos: [Protests at Nottingham University careersfair [inc Rolls-Royce, CAT etc]]

Links: East Midlands CND | Invitation to join blockade | Previous blockades at Rolls Royce: January 2003 - February 2003 - June 2003 | Rolls Royce Blockaders Found Guilty | Previous protests in Derby: M17 Section 13 and 14 Notices - G8 Clampdown in Derby - Abuse of police powers in Derby

The last two days saw the AIESEC careers fair taking place at Nottingham University. The Portland Building, where the Students Union is based was full of businesses promoting their oppertunities for the under and post-graduates. People within the university informed the students attending the fair about some exhibitors: 'the problem is, they supply arms to countries with appalling human rights records'.

Arms manufacturers such as Caterpillar, BAE systems and Rolls Royce exhibiting at the fair were targeted because of their non-commitment to ethical responsiblity and the way in which they 'lie about the truth'. The protest, organised by NSPM, took place on both days of the fair. The Student Environmental and Ethical Network (SEEN) is organising an ethical careersfair later in November.

19/10/05: Students at Leeds University succesfully shut down BAe stall at the AIESEC careersfair at Leeds Uni.

Links: Nottingham Student Peace Movement (NSPM) | Environmental and Social Justice Committee | Student Environmental and Ethical Network | Stop Caterpillar :: Violations of Human Rights | Campaign Against the Arms Trade (CAAT) | The Ethical Student | AIESEC Nottingham Careers Fair | Environmental and Social Justice Committee | Previous article about NSPM

A request for activists to join a blockade of the Rolls Royce factory in Derby, where they make the engines for the Trident submarines is going out.

There will be a weekend of events starting on Saturday 22nd October with leafleting and events in Derby. This will be followed on Sunday by training for the blockade on the Monday morning. Trident Ploughshares have asked people who want to join the blockade to come to the training day as details of the following day will be given.

More Info: Derby Peace Pages | Trident Ploughshares | WikiPedia on Rolls Royce

Nottingham Peace rally in response to the London bombings

On Saturday afternoon, scores of people gathered for a peace rally in Nottingham in response to the London bombings. The event in Market Square was arranged by the Nottingham Muslim Action Group.

Organisers said the aim of the rally was to remember the victims of the bombings and promote solidarity between people of all races and faiths. and of course, no-faiths. The event was backed by a range of other faith groups.

After two-minute silence, 56 white balloons were released to represent and remember those that died as a result of the London explosions.

A similar rally was held last weekend in Leicester.


more ....
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2005/07/319509.html