Ten arrests at AWE Aldermaston
Giulia | 09.06.2007 10:38 | Anti-militarism | South Coast
TEN WOMEN ARRESTED AT AWE ALDERMASTON AS NEW BYLAWS TO STOP PROTEST AT THE BASE COME INTO FORCE
PRESS RELEASE. For immediate release
Saturday 9th June 2007
Ten women from the Aldermaston Women Peace Camp(aign) (AWPC) were last night arrested in a blanket action by MOD police just over a week after the introduction of new Bylaws designed to stop the women from their 22 year-long protest against the base which is currently building facilities for the upgrade of the Trident nuclear missile system..
The women were having a meeting when they were arrested at 21:50 on Friday 8th June in what one of them called “a blanket and arbitrary arrest”. They were taken to Loddon Valley police station and held overnight. A dog that belonged to two of the women was taken to Reading police station.
All ten women have been charged with 2 Bylaws offences and banned from a 5-mile radius around AWE Aldermaston. The first alleged offence is that they were camping when they were simply gathered around a controlled fire having a meeting, and the second, unfounded, charge was that they lit a bonfire.
The new Bylaws, which came into effect on 31st May 2007, specifically prohibit camping and lighting open fires. The women maintain that they were doing neither and that theirs was an unjustified arrest as the bylaws were specifically amended, after consultation with AWPC, to allow for meetings . They have all been bailed to appear before Newbury magistrates court on 21st June. Your support in court on the day would be greatly appreciated
The arrests came as AWPC have mounted a judicial review in the High Court against the new bylaw and the women prepared for a celebratory party to mark their 22-year long protest and bearing witness outside the nuclear weapons factory.
Please come and join us at today’s cocktail party to send a clear message to the MoD that women will continue to occupy space outside AWE Aldermaston, continue resisting Britain’s nuclear weapons programme, and continue claiming the right to protest
For more information on venue of today’s cocktail party and arrests please phone 07887802879
PRESS RELEASE. For immediate release
Saturday 9th June 2007
Ten women from the Aldermaston Women Peace Camp(aign) (AWPC) were last night arrested in a blanket action by MOD police just over a week after the introduction of new Bylaws designed to stop the women from their 22 year-long protest against the base which is currently building facilities for the upgrade of the Trident nuclear missile system..
The women were having a meeting when they were arrested at 21:50 on Friday 8th June in what one of them called “a blanket and arbitrary arrest”. They were taken to Loddon Valley police station and held overnight. A dog that belonged to two of the women was taken to Reading police station.
All ten women have been charged with 2 Bylaws offences and banned from a 5-mile radius around AWE Aldermaston. The first alleged offence is that they were camping when they were simply gathered around a controlled fire having a meeting, and the second, unfounded, charge was that they lit a bonfire.
The new Bylaws, which came into effect on 31st May 2007, specifically prohibit camping and lighting open fires. The women maintain that they were doing neither and that theirs was an unjustified arrest as the bylaws were specifically amended, after consultation with AWPC, to allow for meetings . They have all been bailed to appear before Newbury magistrates court on 21st June. Your support in court on the day would be greatly appreciated
The arrests came as AWPC have mounted a judicial review in the High Court against the new bylaw and the women prepared for a celebratory party to mark their 22-year long protest and bearing witness outside the nuclear weapons factory.
Please come and join us at today’s cocktail party to send a clear message to the MoD that women will continue to occupy space outside AWE Aldermaston, continue resisting Britain’s nuclear weapons programme, and continue claiming the right to protest
For more information on venue of today’s cocktail party and arrests please phone 07887802879
Giulia
Comments
Display the following comment