Over 50 Anti Nuclear protestors from Leeds and Bradford took part in a mass blockade of the Faslane Nuclear Naval Base in Scotland this morning. Twenty seven of the protestors, including the Revd Chris Howson from Bradford were arrested for their role in the blockade, which included 'locking on' to a giant CND symbol outside the main gates of the base.
A group of women were also arrested after succesfully blocking the second gate of the base. They were dressed as lollipop ladies and carried 'Stop Trident' signs.
Protestors managed to cause disruption to traffic trying to enter the base for almost an hour whilst police removed protestors 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.
The Rev Chris Howson said, "I came to Faslane to show support to those who had planned to take part in the blockade. I was arrested by the police whilst standing on the pavement outside the base for reasons they would not explain to me, despite my repeated requests. "It is clear to me that the Government's interests are not with the majority who are opposed to Trident replacement and would rather see the billions wasted on the nuclear weapons programme spent on health, education or climate change, but with George Bush and his colleagues who want us to live in a world of threat, fear and nuclear hypocrisy."
Professor Dave Webb from Leeds and Convenor of Yorkshire CND said, "Today's turnout has been fantastic. We have had a great mix of people blockading today, young and old. It just goes to show that people are prepared to take action for the world we live in. The Government must listen to us all and allow a full public and Parliamentay debate on Trident replacement, and disarmament must be an option."
Protestors managed to cause disruption to traffic trying to enter the base for almost an hour whilst police removed protestors 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.
The Rev Chris Howson said, "I came to Faslane to show support to those who had planned to take part in the blockade. I was arrested by the police whilst standing on the pavement outside the base for reasons they would not explain to me, despite my repeated requests. "It is clear to me that the Government's interests are not with the majority who are opposed to Trident replacement and would rather see the billions wasted on the nuclear weapons programme spent on health, education or climate change, but with George Bush and his colleagues who want us to live in a world of threat, fear and nuclear hypocrisy."
Professor Dave Webb from Leeds and Convenor of Yorkshire CND said, "Today's turnout has been fantastic. We have had a great mix of people blockading today, young and old. It just goes to show that people are prepared to take action for the world we live in. The Government must listen to us all and allow a full public and Parliamentay debate on Trident replacement, and disarmament must be an option."
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Full support to Rev Chris
17.11.2006 00:08
dh
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wy911@goowy.com
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Prepared to take action
18.11.2006 03:08
It also shows just how many people were not prepared to take action. Professor Webb should not reagrd the actual turnout as 'fantastic'. His real fantasy should be that he should ever get any real, substantial, public support. Mr Webb is a public employee with a cause. Perhaps he should consider why so few of the public think as he does, and then consider his postion. He is obviously someone who is paid by the people but who has no idea what the overwhelming majority of hte people want or are bothered about.
simon
"What people want, or are bothered about"
18.11.2006 15:03
Scroll down the page a little. You will find a petition for nuclear disarmament with many, many signatures. Scroll back a page, see the pro-nuclear petition with very few supporters, if any.
Peace
John
Homepage:
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public opinion
18.11.2006 17:35
Well done to all you folks :o) hope the police station food wasn't too yucky!
w x
weebl
Just came across your link Rev Chris
19.11.2006 23:23
RA
Riaz Ahmed
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Hard work
26.11.2006 20:11
Looks like quite a successful protest with some pretty committed folks.
I guess they police have to get serious because, when the nuke weapons people are going about their business, well, it's a pretty serious business isn't it.
Last year I was talking to an MP on the (can't quite remember the exact name) cross-party group on nuclear defence. I said to him I thought it would be a miracle if Trident wasn't replaced but I hoped it could be done in a way that still counted as some step towards disarmament - less warheads, de-tageting, making them less the backbone of our overall defence.
He agreed, and added that when the politicians go to the public and say, "North Korea's got them, China's got them, Pakistan's got them and we reckon Iran wants them but despite that we're going to get rid of ours..." Basically, the average man in the street isn't going to think that's such a great idea. He's going to say, "F@ck it. If they've got them, I want them..."
Let's hope Labour still have some CND blood in them and take some steps to reduce the significance of these things. Hans Blix identified a number of measures in his book, Weapons of Terror.
Rudi