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Menwith Hill - Foil the Base

stinkbomb | 23.03.2003 14:34

They say the sun shines on the righteous. Yesterday at the American spy base Menwith Hill the sun shone on well over a thousand anti war protesters.


Menwith Hill is the most important communications centre in the slaughter being inflicted on the Iraqi people. It houses, behind enormous razor wired fences, the military communications that make this war possible. Don't look for it on a map, it's not on any official map. It's supposed to be secret.

Despite the huge police presence in and around the base, over a thousand people came together to send a clear message to the warmongers. We don't want your war, and we don't want your bases either.

Meeting at the Main Gate on Menwith Hill Road, people of all ages marched and danced to sounds of the Sheffield Samba Band. Foil kites, balloons, wind funnels, hats, banners and placards.

We made our way around the base to the Nessfield Gate where calls were made to invade the base. People approached the gates and the fences, challenging the police presence. The atmosphere changed as more people moved towards the fences, pushing at them, testing them. The police numbers increased too, but that didn't seem to matter. Police attitudes began to change, safely behind the wired fence police intelligence teams started to film protesters. They were filmed back by activists.

As people moved on, having adorned the fences with foil, so we began to further test defences. Individuals, and small groups breached the growing police lines to reach the fence and decorate it.

At the Steeplebush Gate, with the Samba Band in full flow some people again slowly surged towards the gates, decorating them with foil to sabotage the communications equipment. Scuffles broke out as the police tried to intimidate and bully protesters. Police in a heavy handed manner tried to force people away from the gates. A cheer went up as a police helmet soared into the air.

Beyond the gates, the calls to invade the base increased. Groups of people began to surge through gaps in the outer small fences and ditches. A mass trespass of 'military land' happened as people surged through trees and bushes towards the base. This was met by police with dogs, and threats to arrest people. At least eight people were arrested, although most were released later.

Police clad in riot gear, blue helmets and the full gear, appeared from inside the base and some violence began. Some people were clubbed, kicked, and set on. Young women and men were dragged face down through bushes, mud, and trees and then ejected over fences - On the road people shouted 'shame on you' at the police over-reaction.

As I left I could still see people undeterred breaking through to reach the fences and the war machine beyond.

It was a wonderful, inspiring day where people of all ages showed their determination to oppose this war.

Lessons have been learnt. We will be back.

NO MORE WAR.

stinkbomb

Comments

Hide the following 4 comments

For more information

24.03.2003 11:54

Click here for more information -
 http://www.now-peace.org.uk

NOW
mail e-mail: mail@now-peace.org.uk
- Homepage: http://www.now-peace.org.uk

wicked day out for all the family

25.03.2003 20:45

wow, great day out, building the change we want to see in the world... and it has samba and balloons in it!
i know it will keep me going for quite some time, such energy and creativity. What a brilliant high in the midst of the droning madness of the attacks on Iraq. we didnt ignore the war, we stood strong against it.
I wonder why there were not more socialist worker type things, i know that it isnt their style but what is that really about? not that i am complaining, oh no! but i just wondered if there were any ideas?
And what about getting into the base, i havent heard that anyone did?
Looking forward to making the next event as inspiring, looking after the seeds we have sown... in peace, rosie

rosie

Who Knew? Thoughts for England

26.03.2003 02:24

Hello from America. Just wondering who decided that British troops were to occupy the area of Iraq littered with tons of depleated uranium from 91. And that wind sure must kick up the dust. I hear that some of the sand started in Egypt. But uranium is kind of heavy. It probably didn't fly past the troop's lungs. No matter what is was Bush promised Blair, it wasn't enough. How many Brits in Iraq commented today about how the sand ( ? ) stings when it hits their skin. If it still stings a month from now...I hope your country's military health service burocrats ( "Yes, minister" Nigel types) don't leave your boys hanging, like some other countries do. Peace! TheTroll, big Ts with no space in between. OIO
PS, please excuse the spelling. I did my learning in public schools.

TheTroll

Photography, stop the war, protest, actions,

28.03.2003 00:32

Photography, stop the war, protest, actions,
Photography, stop the war, protest, actions,

Photography, stop the war, protest, actions, festivals, party etc etc ......

STOP THE WAR: Main page for [Photo Gallery :: Photoshop Gallery :: Streaming 'Slide-Show'] at:

 http://tash.dns2go.com/stopwar.htm

Hello

Have added more work to my website, and thought I'd put this note about, to say so ....!
I hope you find all interesting and that you enjoy the photos and shows.

Still very much 'work in progress!"


The latest added, is work that I've just finished scanning and edited from:

'Foil the Base' protest demo at RAF Menwith Hill, nr Harrogate, North Yorkshire. on Saturday 22nd March 2003.

 http://tash.dns2go.com/xtra/menwith_hill/index.htm

Also covered on these pages is photography of 'STOP THE WAR' events from the London Demo [15feb], Nottingham Demos [8 - 20mar], Chetwynd Barracks, Chilwell [15mar], Army Careers office gets 'painted', Graffiti and banners, RAF Menwith Hill [22mar], and 'streaming' shows with interviews, speeches etc.


'Direct links' to the coverage of these issues:

Main Page  http://tash.dns2go.com/stopwar.htm
London Demo  http://tash.dns2go.com/xtra/stopthewar_feb03/index.htm
Nottingham Demos  http://tash.dns2go.com/xtra/stopwar_nttm/index.htm
Chetwynd Barracks  http://tash.dns2go.com/xtra/chetwynd_barracks/index.htm
Menwith Hill 'Foil the Base'  http://tash.dns2go.com/xtra/menwith_hill/index.htm
Nottingham Anti-war graffiti  http://tash.dns2go.com/xtra/nottingham_graffiti/index.htm
Armed Service Office 'painted'  http://tash.dns2go.com/xtra/stopwar_nttm/images/1904_035bw.jpg
Photoshop Gallery  http://tash.dns2go.com/stopwar_photoshop.htm
'Streaming' Shows  http://tash.dns2go.com/stopwar_show.htm
London Demo [with soundtrack]  http://tash.dns2go.com/RAMfiles/stopthewar_1_320x240.ram
Web-Galleries [10sec change]  http://tash.dns2go.com/slide_shows.htm

[long links, make sure you include all of 'em!]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
'STREAMING' MEDIA
[Slideshow :: Video :: Performance]  http://tash.dns2go.com

MAIN WEBSITE
[Info :: Photography :: History :: Events]  http://tash.gn.apc.org

BLOG
[stuff what happens, when it happens]  http://tash_lodge.blogspot.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------


Hope you enjoy
Best

tash


>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Tashs' Festival, Travellin' and Environmental Archives.

I am a photographer with a special interest to document the lives of travelling people and those attending Festivals, Stonehenge etc, what the press often describe as 'New Age Travellers'.

With my photography, I have tried to say something of the wide variety of people engaged in 'Alternatives', and youths' many sub-cultures and to present a more positive view.

I have photographed many free and commercial events and have, in recent years, extended my work to include dance parties ('rave culture'), gay-rights events, environmental direct actions, and protest against the Criminal Justice Act and more recently, issues surrounding the Global Capitalism.

Further, police surveillance has recently become a very important subject for me!

I am based in Nottingham, UK


____________________________________________
ALAN LODGE
Photographer - Media: One Eye on the Road. Nottingham. UK
Web:  http://tash.gn.apc.org
Email:  tash@gn.apc.org
WAP phone  http://wappy.to/tash
ICQ #24654598
My Blog!  http://tash_lodge.blogspot.com
BroadBand  http://tash.dns2go.com
My WAP on web  http://tash.gn.apc.org/wap_phone.htm
Member of the National Union of Journalist
____________________________________________
"It is not enough to curse the darkness.
It is also necessary to light a lamp!!"
___________________________________________
OS Grid Ref: SK 575414 - Lat/Lon: 52:58:03N, 1:08:38W

Tash [Alan Lodge]
mail e-mail: tash@gn.apc.org
- Homepage: http://tash.gn.apc.org