Faslane Day Three Final Reports
No to Nukes | 14.02.2002 11:41 | Peace not War
100 people, 30 arrested. Bush marries Blair, activist in a Saab pulls a handbraker in front of gate, Royal Navy van blocked.
day3 13thfeb02.
30 or so arrests, 1 woman arrested but then let go when cops realised she had a 7 week old baby strapped onto her, and they had no changing facilities in the station. 3 people in wheelchairs arrested then also let go because of no facilities.
4 weddings and a million funerals: in theatrical style Bush was married to Blair; Public services, in a noose, gagged and on its knees was married to Private services; UN was married to NATO; the arms trade was married to the banks; and a million funeral will be the result.
An activist in a Saab drove towards the main gate, as police waved him on he turned the car round and stopped, with doors locked and stayed there for about an hour.
Dave Dowes, head of security at Trident, came out and spoke to the protestors. When asked whether he was in favour of Nuclear submarines at Trident, he replied yes, he was in favour of nuclear weapons, saying his father, a pwo in japan in ww2 was saved by the Atomic bomb at Hiroshima. When confronted with the fact that if two peaceful protestors could breach the security of Trident (as happened yesterday) then it would be a simple affair for less well meaning people to do the same, his only reply was "it wouldn't happen".
As a royal navy van full of naval officers was driving towards the gate, one protestor jumped in front of it. As they were removed someone else crawled under another wheel... the van was stopped for about 20 mins.
Around 4pm we heard that the group heading for Sellafield has stopped at BNFL HQ in Risley, and held a protest with about 140 people.
No to Nukes
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More from Trident Ploughshares
14.02.2002 11:54
13th February 2002, 2pm
8 week old baby and mother arrested at Faslane
This, the third of 3 days of non-violent direct action, saw around 100 activists descend upon the Trident nuclear submarine base at Faslane, Scotland, to peacefully oppose the British Governments nuclear insanity by blocking access to the base.
Nora Barnes and her 8 week old baby son Murray were arrested shortly before midday. Nora was charged with Breach of the Peace inside a police van by the gates and immediately released, as the Police had no facilities to take baby Murray into custody. Nora said, "I didn’t intend to get arrested today, but I just felt I had to do something as I stood there with Murray in my arms and thought of all the babies who would be murdered if Trident were ever used."
Faslane is the base for Britain’s four Trident submarines, whose deadly arsenal is over a thousand times more powerful (1) than the Hiroshima bomb, which killed at least 140,000 people in 1945.
By 2pm today there had been 29 further arrests bringing the total to 186 over three days including activists from 12 countries. A van load of senior Navy officials was stopped at the main gate when protestors locked themselves underneath and in front of it.
The Adomnan of Iona affinity group held a moving Ash Wednesday service at 10am in memory of all victims of war and terror. Following the service, protesters, including 2 in wheelchairs, burned small paper Trident submarines and used the ash to make crosses on their foreheads, before sitting in front of the main gate to prevent access to the base. Police appeared visibly moved by the events at the gate with people singing hymns and songs.
9 activists were due in court in Helensburgh today on various charges. One woman protester was acquitted after police failed to identify her.
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13th February 2002, 6pm
"We'll be back!" say Faslane Blockaders
The anti-Trident campaigners who took part in the blockade of Faslane naval base in Scotland which ended this afternoon vowed to continue the non-violent campaign, their conviction and determination increased.
Marcus Armstrong said, "While we achieved a lot of what we set out to do this week, by disrupting the operation of the base on every one of the three days, the most thrilling outcome has been the tremendous spirit that has been in evidence. People have been willing to come from all over Europe and risk their liberty, members of the Scottish Parliament have stood with us at the gates and Scottish clergy and Buddhists nuns have prayed alongside us. It has strengthened my hope that as a race we have the love and potential in our hearts to ensure that everyone’s basic needs are met, that conflict can be resolved without killing, and we can all work together in peace for the common good."
There were nearly 200 arrests at the blockades, mostly for breach of the peace, adding to the large number of protesters the local courts are already struggling to cope with. On the first of June the Scottish CND peace carnival "Love the Planet" will be held in George Square, Glasgow and Trident Ploughshares campaigners gather for their two-week disarmament camp at Coulport on 5th August.
TP2000
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Princess Anne's man was in th evan!
14.02.2002 21:52
Jim
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