UK Faslane Feature Archive
Strident students blockade at Faslane
07-07-2007 01:00
Students from Nottingham have been involved in the Strident (Students Against Trident) blockade of the Faslane nuclear weapons base over the weekend.
On Fri 29th June, at 6:30am, 6 students from Nottingham and Bradford Universities arrived at the North entrance, superglue-ing their hands together to blockade the main entrance at shift change (Report and pics). They were all removed after around 40 minutes and arrested for Beach of the Peace. At the same time, 3 more students from Nottingham were arrested after blocking the South entrance using a concrete blockade. On Sat 30th, six Nottingham students were arrested following blockades at the North and South entrances of the base (Report).
Photos: Students Against Trident blockade North and South gates at Faslane nuclear base
Reports: Nottingham Students Get Strident | More Nottingham students arrested at Faslane | All Notts Students released
Previous local involvement in anti-Trident actions: Nottingham folk successfully blockade nuclear submarine base in Scotland | Protestors take action at Derby nuclear plant
Links: Faslane 365 | Faslane 365 Students | Faslane Peace Camp | Trident Ploughshares
Protesters take action at Derby nuclear plant
26-04-2007 09:30
Protesters take action at Derby nuclear plant on the 21st anniversary of Chernobyl, in solidarity with Faslane365 Environmentalist blockade. Twenty-one years ago today, the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster caused large areas of Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia to be badly contaminated with radioactive material, resulting in the evacuation and resettlement of over 336,000 people. To mark the anniversary of this environmental and a humanitarian catastrophe, protesters today disrupted work at Rolls Royce Raynesway near Derby, which makes and tests the enriched uranium fuel rods that power Britain's Trident nuclear submarines.
The protest was timed to coincide with a blockade being carried out by a group of environmentalists at Faslane in Scotland, where the Trident submarines are based. One of the protesters, James Evans aged 24, said: "With the government intending to replace it's illegal Trident system, and to build more nuclear power stations in the UK, it's vital that ordinary people take a stand to prevent future nuclear disasters."
Previously on the newswire: Rolls-Royce Raynesway, Derby. Action, Protest, Blockade | Rolls Royce Blockade- Rainsway, Derby | Derbyshire police go over the top again - Rolls Royce
Nottingham activists succesfully blockade nuclear submarine base in Scotland
01-04-2007 12:22
Over 50 people from Nottingham and Derby successfully blockaded the Faslane Nuclear Naval Base In Scotland today. Various blockade groups in intriguing lock-on devices and some plastered together blocked the main entrance to the site. Police started removing people from 8.30 onwards but had problems with removing people from a 6 way lock-on device, which held strong for another 2 hours. Police had to draft in specialist equipment from other forces to deal with the device. 17 people have been arrested. The blockade lasted for over 4 hours.
Updates: for full timeline, report and links see Notts Indymedia.
Audio: Nottingham folk blockade nuclear submarine base in Scotland - a radio piece
Links: Faslane 365 | Wikipedia on Trident Missile System | Wikipedia on replacement of Trident | More Trident Links
Full article | 1 addition | 7 comments
Nottingham folk succesfully blockade nuclear submarine base in Scotland
01-04-2007 09:46
Over 50 people from Nottingham and Derby successfully blockaded the Faslane Nuclear Naval Base In Scotland today. Various blockade groups in intriguing lock-on devices and some plastered together blocked the main entrance to the site. Police started removing people from 8.30 onwards but had problems with removing people from a 6 way lock-on device, which held strong for another 2 hours. The police had to draft in specialist equipment from other forces to deal with the device. 18 people were arrested and have been moved to Paisley. The blockade lasted for over 4 hours. Whilst on the phone to someone at the scene, one could hear a lot of chanting and cheering as one protester managed to shout 'no to nuclear weapons' just before being put in a police van.
The action is part of an international campaign to blockade the naval base throughout the year in a bid to stop the replacement of the controversial Trident Missile System. Blockades have been taking place for the last few months by groups from around the country. See UK Indymedia Faslane Page for more reports.
Photos and reports: Robin Hood blockades the Base | Robin’s Trip to Scotland… Part 1. | some more pics
Audio: Nottingham folk blockade nuclear submarine base in Scotland - a radio piece
Timeline: see full article.
Links: Faslane 365 | Wikipedia on Trident Missile System | Wikipedia on replacement of Trident | More Trident Links
Previous articles: Stop Robbin’ the Poor - Notts says NO to Trident!! | Nottingham residents mobilise against Trident replacement | Fundraiser for Notts Faslane 365 this Sunday | Nottingham Faslane 365 sign-up stall | What will you be doing? | Nottingham Faslane 365 News : 6th Feb 07 | Nottingham Blockade of Faslane Trident Base
Full article | 2 additions | 2 comments
York Vikings go berserk over Trident
19-03-2007 11:28
A twelve strong group from York, dressed as Vikings, have successfully blockaded both entrances to the Faslane nuclear submarine base. The coordinated action completely closed the base for half an hour this morning. Four men and eight women were arrested in the peaceful protest.
One of the protesters, Richard Lane, said "The Vikings slaughtered tens of thousands of people but they did so over half a millennium. Trident could do the same in a minute." Dave Taylor of York Green Party said "Whatever happened to the ethical foreign policy that New Labour once promised?" "There is nothing ethical about spending billions of pounds on weapons that the human race cannot afford to use," he added.
Whatever They Vote, Trident is Still Wrong!
16-03-2007 20:01
March 14th saw a number of decentralised actions and protests across the country to denounce Britain's Trident as illegal and immoral, and call for the disarmament of the country's weapons of mass destruction, as the Commons set to vote on the government's plans to renew the ballistic missile submarine-based nuclear deterrent. Click the Full article link above to read about the protests and actions.
Links: Trident Vote Day | CND | Block the Builders | Greenpeace | Trident Ploughshares | Faslane 365
Full article | 1 addition | 6 comments
Tens of Thousands Say 'NO to Trident, NO to War'
22-02-2007 12:06
Called by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, in conjunction with Stop the War Coalition and the British Muslim Initiative, tens of thousands marched in London on 24 February, 2007, to protest against the Trident and against the imperial wars in the Middle East, including Iraq and the looming one on Iran. People were there to express their opposition to militarism, the 'war on terror' and demand justice for Palestine. Scotland for Peace's "Bin the Bomb Roadshow" also ran between 16 and 24 February, culminating in a march and rally on 24 February in Glasgow.
There was a small autonomous block on the demo [photos], but was apparently the focus of most of the policing and 'intelligence gathering' (see this Met leaflet).
Reports: 1 | 2 Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 Audio: 1 | 2 | video
Links: Trident Vote Day | CND | Stop the War Coalition | Block the Builders | Greenpeace | Trident Ploughshares | Faslane 365 | Background: BASIC | Acronym | Indymedia UK's Faslane topic page
Faslane 365 Blockades
21-11-2006 16:37
Britain’s Trident nuclear defence system is nearing the end of its lifetime and will need decommissioning, replacing or extending within the next few years. A decision to replace Trident would cost well over £40 billion and would keep nuclear submarines in Scotland until at least 2055. It has recently been reported that Tony Blair backs a Trident replacement and wants a Parliamentary debate on the issues to take place quickly. Union leaders from Amicus and GMB are expected to support him.
Faslane 365 is a one year continuous peaceful blockade of the Trident base at Faslane from 1st October 2006 to 30th September 2007. Groups are being asked to visit Faslane naval base in Scotland for a period of two days in order to blockade the base. So far 31 blockading groups have visited the base with varying numbers of people resulting in 301 arrests. Many more groups are planning on blockading the base, including York.
Reports from previous groups: Leeds/Bradford including personal reflections | Manchester's samba band and Big Red Bus | Candle | Scottish Highlands | Sheffield | Welsh Granny Arrested 1 2 | Daughters of Rebecca
See also the Faslane 365 Website
Faslane 365 Blockades
21-11-2006 11:59
Over 50 Anti Nuclear protesters from Leeds and Bradford took part in a mass blockade of the Faslane Nuclear Naval Base in Scotland last week. Twenty seven of the protesters were arrested for their role in the blockade, which included 'locking on' to a giant peace symbol outside the main gates of the base.
A group of women were also arrested after successfully blocking the second gate of the base. They were dressed as lollipop ladies and carried 'Stop Trident' signs.
Protesters managed to cause disruption to traffic trying to enter the base for almost an hour whilst police removed protesters lying in the road and used cutting equipment to remove the 'lock ons'.
The blockade was part of 'Faslane 365', a year-long campaign set up to oppose the existence of Trident, the British nuclear submarine programme and to oppose the introduction of any replacement to Trident.
See also: Eye-witness account Press release Faslane 365 website.