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Eight Acquitted After Rolls Royce Blockade

plunk | 24.10.2008 22:53 | Anti-militarism

Eight people were found not guilty by Derby Magistrates Court today. They were arrested after blocking the main gates of Rolls Royce marine power operations limited with two quarter of a ton concrete blocks for several hours in April this year. Two other protestors who blocked a second gate were found guilty.

The acquitted protesters had attached themselves to the concrete blocks which had been positioned outside the gates of the Rolls Royce plant near the centre of Derby. They were protesting against the part the factory plays in manufacturing components which are used to power Britain’s Trident nuclear weapons system. The site houses a facility for turning highly enriched uranium into fuel rods as well as a nuclear reactor for testing. The Rolls Royce site is a protected site designated under the 2005 serious organised crime and police act.
The activists were all originally arrested under the serious organised crime and police act, but were subsequently charged with aggravated trespass when it transpired that the Derby police had made a mistake about the perimeter of the designated area. The activists were found not guilty after they presented evidence which showed that the Rolls Royce land they were on may form part of the public highway. The trial lasted for five days and eight of the defendants represented themselves.
Peter Lux from Norfolk who was one of the acquitted defendants, said:
“Rolls Royce had painted a red line on the road around factory entrance to stop legitimate protest outside the gates but it merely led to confusion among the police and the crown prosecution service about its meaning. Their attempts to stop legitimate protests backfired and we have now been acquitted of blockading the site.”

plunk
- e-mail: plunk@hushmail.com

Comments

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Small bit of justice, you should get awarded & RRshould only be making hydrogen

25.10.2008 18:08

fuel cell vehicles, wind generators, solar panels& wave+tidal machines. There is the need & the public will for it, in fact I have engineering friends used to work on military projects that are a threat to everyone who now build wavepower motors, but government funding is still tokenistic compared.
The current politicians seem serve undemocractic corporatism from Exxon to China petroleum.
Congrats on the acquittal, heres to more real democracy.

Midlander

rolls royce once the proud car manufacters now degrade the name

28.10.2008 11:44

- application/zip 2.5M

royces were once a proud car manufacturer now make parts for goverments for the ilegal trident missile ,which the un banned .yet the judge did say the un rule does not apply to britain and america .so why do our prime ministers waste so much of tax payers money .going to these summits .if thed do not abide by thier rules us in britain are getting to much like america ,thats sad .they want wars only for gain ,not really to help ..they never stepped in .against magarbe .no oil .why dont rolls royce do something for the community ,and invest in wind turbine developement ,.instead of another dangerous reactor being built in derby .thier neighbours severn trent sewerage treatment ,plant derby are trying to invest in wind turbines to run thier sites .and burning methane from sewage .to run generators its a step forward that story is page 6 derby telagraph monday 23/10/08 fair play to them ,.the niose monitors are in my garden ./as for rr well continue the monthly prottests .the more come along the better .all are welcome .donations towards the convicteds fine are welcome she is 66 full of arthiritis deaf .but still in good spirit a game old lady who is banned from derbyshire for 12 month .£600 fine .and community work .we must admire her spirit .any donations go to zina delter on marys behalf .shes a great old lady ,.thanks pete derby

peter ambler
mail e-mail: tigger1946@fsmail.net