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Reclaim the bases UK- day 1 round up

the d10 group | 05.04.2003 17:10

Reclaim the bases-
Naval HQ in Portsmouth closed
Police stage imaginary march at USAF Fairford
Weapons inspectors denied access at Devonport
RAF Stafford reclaimed.
Action at Fylingdales US Space Command. More actions tomorrow.

Press release April 5th 17:45
Reclaim the Bases
www.reclaimthebases.org.uk
0845 458 2564/ 0794 7839992



Naval HQ, Portsmouth
120 anti war activists gathered for nonviolent direct action at the
Naval HQ in Portsmouth but the MOD closed all the gates for the
day before they got there. All access gates and doors were closed since
before lunchtime,
including the visitors entrance. Police later opened the main gate but the
activists sat in front of it, so they closed it again. It remained closed
until 4.30pm, when the actrivists left. Two of the activists spent 3 hours
on top of Portsmouth Harbour station since 1pm, facing the naval base with a
banner reading "No war". Another was arrested for painting "No Blood for
Oil" on the pavement outside the visitors entrance.
Rosie Bremmer of Portsmouth Resistance said, "It appears just by announcing
we were planning nonviolent direct action we managed to close down the
Naval Headquarters. We must come back again! Today we have taken our protest
against this illegal, immoral invasion of Iraq to the gates of the Naval HQ
and closed it down."
Call Rosie on 07951 000955.


USAF Fairford
Activists are staging a sponsored stop and search this weekend in protest
against the war on Iraq and the infringement on human rights resulting from
the police operation around Fairford. Gloucestershoire Weapons Inspectors
have invited people to come and walk around and see how many times they get
stopped and searched under Section 44 of the 2000 terrorism bill.
Participants are rasing money for humanitarian aid organisations working in
Iraq and anti war groups.
There are currently somewhere in the region of 100 peace protestors in the
Fairford
vicinity, but the police have blocked off many of the access roads and,
despite protestors insistence that they have no intention of marching, the
police organised a march! At one point police threatened to arrest people
under section 12 of
the public order act for not getting in a police coach to take to them to
the police demo! The canny peacemakers went to the pub instead. Activists
and media are currently attempting to visit the peace camp at Gate 10, but
the police are preventing this without any legal reason.
Dave Cockcroft of Gloucestershire Weapons Inspectors said, "The police seem
determined to police an imaginary demonstration. While Britain and the US
claim they are killing thousands in Iraq to deliver freedom, our freedoms
are being denied here, as they are denied every day. It seems the closer you
get to the US military the less freedom you have."
Call 07768 418960

RAF Stafford
Following a vigil in Stafford Market 120 anti war protestors, including a 20
strong samba band marched to RAF Stafford, host to the Tactical Support
Wing, an integral part of deployments being made by the RAF, navy and army
in the Gulf.
The protestors gathered in front of the gates, released doves for peace, and
attached anti war messages to the fence.
Call Alison 0845 3303877/ 07960030038

Devonport, Plymouth
70 anti war activists, 15 in white weapons inspectors suits,
staged a weapons inspection, making their way along the perimeter of
the base. The weapons inspectors banged on the gates and hung notices
recording that weapons inspectors were denied access to a base hosting
illegal weapons of mass destruction. Matt Bury, of Plymouth Stop the War
Coalition said, "We handed a letter to a senior Naval Officer regarding the
hypocrisy of the war on Iraq, a war supposedly about weapons of mass
destruction while the US and UK hold and continue to develop illegal weapons
of mass destruction.
Devonport is base to at least 12 nuclear powered submarines, including HMS
Vanguard, a Trident class sub
currently undergoing a refit. call Matt 01752 227033

Fylingdales US Space Command base (Yorkshire)
60 anti war activists, flying foil kites and wearing foil clothes joined an anti war demonstration at Fylingdales, part of the Star Wars system where they held a mile long march and a demo at the gate. 3 people managed to find their way inside the base. Two of them were ejected, the other one was arrested for breach of bail conditions.
Call 01287 660067 for more info.

There are no details yet of the actions in Germany and Greece scheduled for
Saturday.

Anti war actions are planned Sunday at Fairford, Northwood (Britain's
military HQ), Wilton (Land forces HQ), RAF Welford, St Athan's, RAF Brawdy,
RAF Mawgan, RAF Molesworth, RAF Cottesmore.
Elsewhere this weekend there will abe anti war actions at bases in Germany,
Greece, Italy, Japan and the USA.
see www.reclaimthebases.org.uk for more details

the d10 group
- e-mail: info@thed10group.org.uk
- Homepage: www.reclaimthebases.org.uk

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