Protesters gathered in their thousands at the USAF base in Fairford on 24th March 2003, to voice their disgust at the use of B-52ís in the attack on Iraq (pics). The national event, was also attended by many local people who are living under the sounds of the bombers lifting off to drop their payload six hours away. Section 12&14 of the 1986 Public Disorder Act were imposed, preventing deviation from a designated route. There were four arrests under the 1994 Criminal Justice Public Order Act, two for failing to remove masks. One of the people arrested has been on hunger strike ever since (see press release).


Aside from those that reached the demo, one coach from Swindon and three coach loads of protesters from London were prevented from even reaching Fairford. Pulled over by about fifty police. Every person was searched including their bags, whilst being filmed and photographed. The Protesters were then held on the coaches and escorted all the way back to London by three different regional police forces. After placing signs in the windows reading "Help we are being illegally detained", protesters managed to escape their temporary coach cell, when stopped at traffic lights in Shepherds Bush. Leaving via the emergency exits, they ran onto the street, rather than wait for Euston their destination where eight police vans awaited.

Additional reports of the day: Fairford Legal Team Press Release | Samba report 1 | Samba report 2 (inc Oxford St blockade + Park Lane) | Combined reports overview

[Pics1 | Pics2 | Pics3 | pics 4 | Pics Bayswater Road ]