On November 2, 2009, All Souls Day, Fr. Bill Bichsel, Susan Crane, Lynne Greenwald, Fr. Steve Kelly and Sr. Anne Montgomery were arrested at the Bangor Naval Base, the largest nuclear weapon storage area in the US. They had entered the base through the perimeter fence to call attention to the illegality and immorality of the first strike Trident nuclear weapons system. They made their way to the Strategic Weapons Facility – Pacific (SWFPAC) where they cut through two chain link fences and entered the area which holds the largest nuclear weapon stockpile in the United States.

As they walked they held a banner saying “Disarm Now Plowshares: Trident: Illegal and Immoral”. The Plowshares activists knew that they were in a shoot to kill zone, but they also remembered the many people who live in shoot to kill zones all the time because of US occupation of their country. The unarmed activists were detained, held face down, handcuffed and hooded for over three hours. They were carried out, still hooded, through the very holes in the fence that they had made.

The Disarm Now Plowshares activists were indicted by a Federal Grand Jury and have been charged with trespass, conspiracy, destruction of government property, and depredation of government property. The activists respond to these charges by saying that they were acting according to the moral law of their faith, and that they have a responsibility and duty under international law to disarm the nuclear weapons at the base. The five go on trial on Tuesday 7th December at US District Court, Tacoma, Washington

In solidarity with these brave folks there will be a vigil outside the US embassy on the first day of their trial, Tuesday 7th December, from 11am – 1pm, organised by ploughshare activists, Catholic Workers and friends – come along! For more details contact  chris@figtree.org.uk or  ciaronx@yahoo.com