Ten arrests at Aldermaston blockade
jk | 11.07.2006 09:09
Despite a heavy police presence, anti-nuclear campaigners staged a series of co-ordinated blockades at AWE Aldermaston yesterday morning, closing the main entrances to the Orion construction site for up to one hour. Ten people were arrested.
From just before 7am, campaigners gathered at AWE's Tadley and Home Office gates and carried out a number of actions which resulted in a musical road blockade, two lock-on blockades (one at each gate) and a multi-faith action. Women from the Aldermaton Women's Peace Camp(aign) held a women-only blockade.
That morning police had informed some campaigners that they had imposed a s14 (Public Order Act 1986) notice, which places restrictions on demonstrations. Women who had participated in the musical road blockade were, after being removed from the road, were surrounded by police and effectively penned in under the s14. The group included mothers with four children under the age of five - after 25mins they managed to negotiate their way out of the pen. One woman refused to move and was arrested for being in breach of the s14.
The blockade was called by nonviolent direct action group Block the Builders and supported by Green MEP Caroline Lucas and CND Chair Kate Hudson, both of whom were present at Tadley gate for the morning. Seven people will appear at Newbury magistrate's court on 21 July.
That morning police had informed some campaigners that they had imposed a s14 (Public Order Act 1986) notice, which places restrictions on demonstrations. Women who had participated in the musical road blockade were, after being removed from the road, were surrounded by police and effectively penned in under the s14. The group included mothers with four children under the age of five - after 25mins they managed to negotiate their way out of the pen. One woman refused to move and was arrested for being in breach of the s14.
The blockade was called by nonviolent direct action group Block the Builders and supported by Green MEP Caroline Lucas and CND Chair Kate Hudson, both of whom were present at Tadley gate for the morning. Seven people will appear at Newbury magistrate's court on 21 July.
jk
e-mail:
btb@aldermaston.net
Homepage:
http://www.blockthebuilders.org.uk
Comments
Hide 1 hidden comment or hide all comments
Not a full report
11.07.2006 11:08
Block the Builders as an organisation was hijacked some months ago by a small group who having got control of the website decided they and only they would decide policy for the group. As a result of this people protesting at Aldermaston and nearby Burghfield has fallen to nearly nothing
The Block the Builders campaign is now discredited and has become another lifestyle choice for the couple of local women who having moved on from the old Greenham Common site up the road now seek another place to dicuss radical feminism and build campfires.
In the meantime the work of Aldermaston on lasers and the next generation of nuclear weapons goes on without any effective protest against it. Those of us who objected to this process last year on the Indymedia UK Newswire was classified as "trolls" and our postings hidden. Another "turf war" where the only winner is the State
Another success for the infamous "Editorial Policy"
Sarah Lewis
e-mail: sarahplewis@lse.ac.uk
Hide 1 hidden comment or hide all comments