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More arrests at Menwith Hill

No War | 17.01.2003 14:26

Peace campaigners arrested at Menwith HIll appear in front of Harrogate maigsrates

Two peace campaigners yesterday appeared in Harrogate maigstrates court charged with going equipped intending to cause criminal damage at "RAF" (US Spy Base) Menwith HIll.
The pair were arrested by MoD police late on friday 10th January in one of the bases antenna fields.

Both plead not guilty to the charges and have opted for a jury trial at York Crown Court

The magistrates refused to drop bail conditions imposed by NOrth Yorkshire Police which ban the two defendants from within 50 metres of the fence. The prosecutor told the pair "you can protest against the base at the house of commons or in Harrogate".
The defendants will challenge this ruling at the high court on the grounds that it is an infringement on their civil liberties.
One of the defendants said:
"I don't want to protest against this base at the house of commons, i want to protest against the base AT the base. Wwe are going to be on bail for a long time, during which there will be many protests, vigils and so on at the base and we should have a right to attend. We haven't been found guilty of any offence and see these bail conditions as a punishment for a "crime" for which we have not been tried let alone found guilty."

Menwith Hill US Spy Base is the intelligence hub for co-ordinating the war effort against Iraq and is totally unaccountable to people in the UK. For more info see  http://cndyorks.gn.apc.org/mhs/

No War
- Homepage: http://cndyorks.gn.apc.org/mhs/