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Blockade of BAe and Arc Royal War Ship

fwd | 24.01.2003 12:39 | Anti-militarism

On Monday 13th, protesters took direct action against the War. BAe, British Aerospace was blockaded in Edinburgh, and access to the Ark Royal, before leaving towards Iraq, was blocked, too, when it was stationed at Loch Long (near Faslane Trident sub base).

On Monday 13th, there was a blockade of BAe's Crewe Toll site in Edinburgh, by 8 people locked across gates; 4 Faslane Peace Campers and 4 associates. As in the previous two blockades at the site all 3 gates were once again blocked and workers ferried in by minibus instead of driving in. It was highlighting the strong part BAe will play in a war against Iraq. Flyers were given out to workers and passers by which gave an extensive list of BAe's dodgy deals, and highlighted how the site has been involved in refurbishing the lasers for the sightings of guns that shoot depleted uranium shells. D.U was used in the last war in Iraq causing deformities in newly born babies and was also used in Kosovo. The site carries out electronic engineering in aviation systems, much of it for combat, as is blatant by the sculpture of aircraft including hawks outside the building.

Whilst locked-on a phone call was received to say that the aircraft
carrier, the Ark Royal had arrived on Loch Long (near Faslane Trident sub base)
and was being loaded with munitions in preparation for war on Iraq.... so after a 5 hour block with police presence, radio interviews, but no arrests, (as with the previous BAe blockades, BAe does not want the extra publicity), folks dashed back over to Faslane peace camp.

On Wednesday at 7am three people from Scotland, (two of them disabled) blockaded the only gate to the jetty of the Ark Royal by chaining and super-glueing themselves into their car and parking right across the gate for nearlt four hours. The back window was removed by police to get to those inside, and equipment brought in to cut the three out.

There was about a three-quarters of an hour gap between their removal and arrest and another minibus of people going to the jetty...Whereupon a resident of Faslane Peace camp
managed to climb up on the fence, then walked along it to the gate -where he locked himself to the top of the gate D-locking the opening of the gate together. He kept it shut for
nearly another 4 hours.

Around ten people held banners, whilst police put together a tower to get the person down down, who held on - despite the single flash of lightning, thunder and full-on heavy hailstorm.

The following morning, half an hour before the Ark Royal was set to leave, two others from Faslane peace camp got into the water and D-locked their necks to the mooring ropes of the Ark Royal under the jetty. The police struggled to cut the ropes and managed relatively quickly to release them, but the Ark Royal must have been in no doubt that a few people
were doing their upmost to peacefully stop it physically leave for Iraq.

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Comments

Display the following 2 comments

  1. Warmsmeheart:) — Dave(perth, Oz)
  2. Power to you — Dave(perth,Oz)