Reclaim The Bases: Day Two
07.04.2003 07:53
Under the banner "Reclaim the Bases", protests around military bases took place throughout the weekend.
Bases (sunday 6th april)
Anti war actions took place at 9 military bases:
USAF Fairford: As cluster bombs were being loaded onto B52 bombers over a hundred anti war activists at Fairford continued their sponsored stop and search with great success. The embarassed police refrained from their regular practice of repeatedly stopping and searching people. Dave Cockcroft of Gloucestershire Weapons Inspectors said, "creative action...can bring about quick turnarounds in policy.
RAF Mawgan: (Cornwall) 120 people protested against the war with 20 weapons inspectors, clad in white suits, requesting entry to the base. The protestors, including some nuns, laid dozens reed crosses at the entrance. Betty Levene of Cornwall Stop the War Coalition said "Many people now feel it is imperative to do all they can to end the war as soon as possible, by resisting it to the best of their ability and to make it quite clear to the UK and US Governments that we are not prepared to be complicit in what is, by all standards of international jurisprudence, a crime punishable under international law."
RAF Wellford: 15 activists took part in a sponsored stop and search like the one at Fairford. Unsually, the police were reluctant to stop and search activists more than once.
A Die In was held at the gates of RAF St Athan's, a cycle protest was held at RAF Brawdy, protestors planted 'seeds for peace' at RAF Molesworth and there were protests at both RAF Cottesmore and British land forces HQ at Wilton. Meanwhile 160 people travelled to Northwood Military HQ - see feature below.
Read full Sunday Report.