Press release: 25th February

For immediate release

DEVONPORT 3 PUT TRIDENT ON TRIAL

Three renowned peace campaigners from direct action group Trident Ploughshares, were on trial today in Plymouth Crown Court charged with trying to disarm a nuclear submarine, one of Britain’s own WMD.

Sue Brackenbury from Faslane Peace Camp, and Matt Bury were arrested last September when they entered Devonport dockyards with disarmament equipment intent on openly, safely and accountably disarming HMS Vanguard, currently being refitted.

On failing to reach the submarine, Sue was not discouraged and returned in October last year with Plymouth Grandmother, Shirley Law, and again tried to enter Devonport. Since that action Sue has been on remand.

Today, as both the prosecution and the defence put their cases, International law was at the forefront of the debate. The activists insisted throughout, that far from breaking the law, they were in fact upholding it.

Joss Garman, a spokesperson for Trident Ploughshares, explained, “The highest legal body in the world, the International Court of Justice in the Hague clearly stated in 1996 that nuclear weapons are illegal. Indeed, in 1999, this decision was reiterated by a Scottish Court when it ruled that three Ploughshares campaigners acted to prevent a greater crime when they destroyed a Trident laboratory.”

He continued, “We very much hope that the Jury will respect that International law over rules national obligations and that not only were the protestors morally justified, but also legally because they acted out of necessity.”

The trial will continue tomorrow.

For more information:

Joss Garman 07815 004 578
www.tridentpoughshares.org

Notes:
1) The first of the actions in question was on September 22nd, and the second on October 9th. 2) All of the activists are charged with Criminal Damage and carrying articles with the intent to cause further criminal damage. 3) Trident Ploughshares is a campaign to disarm the UK Trident nuclear weapons system in a non-violent, open, peaceful and fully accountable manner. People from all around the world have pledged to disarm Trident in this way. We act to uphold international humanitarian law and to expose the illegality of the Trident system.