London Indymedia

Pensioner Jailed for Opposing Trident Nuclear Weapons

repost | 18.12.2007 21:45 | Anti-militarism | Repression | Terror War | London

IRENE WILLIS, a 62-year-old peace activist from Southend, Essex was today sentenced to seven days' imprisonment by City of Westminster Magistrates’ Court for refusing to pay a fine of £50 (+ £50 court costs). The fine was for deliberately obstructing traffic around Parliament Square during an anti-nuclear protest on 14th March 2007, the day Parliament voted to replace Trident, despite a huge Labour backbench rebellion.

Anti-nuclear campaigners argue that by agreeing to replace its Trident nuclear missile-carrying submarines, and constructing new facilities to enable the development of a new generation of nuclear weapons at Aldermaston Atomic Weapons Establishment in Berkshire, the Government is in breach of a number of laws and international treaties [1]. One of these is the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, ratified by Britain in 1968, which commits the then recognised nuclear states, including Britain, to act in good faith to decommission their existing stockpiles of nuclear weapons and not seek to develop new ones.

At the same time, Britain continues to condemn Iran for its uranium enrichment programme, despite there being no evidence of an intended military use. Britain also joined the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 under the pretext that Saddam Hussein was thought to possess weapons of mass destruction, none of which have ever been found.

Ms Willis, who is also an environmental campaigner, is unrepentant: “although I have been found guilty of a ‘crime’, I must ask why, if we are all equal under the law, the British government is not also put on trial for breaking international law.

“Regardless of today's outcome, I will continue to challenge the state, which is committing itself to spending up to 100 billion pounds of taxpayers’ money renewing a nuclear weapons system which ministers say they intend never to use. Two-thirds of this sum would be enough to reduce our carbon emissions by the 90% needed to avert climate catastrophe.

“I would ask anyone who feels we should not have nuclear weapons to take a moment to write to their MP and suggest that they vote against any new nuclear missiles or warheads. The majority of the population does not support nuclear weapons, and the Scottish Parliament strongly opposes them, so let’s aim to remove this threat in 2008.”

Irene is expected to serve her sentence at HMP Holloway.


ENDS


Notes for editors:

1. Laws and international treaties contravened by continued possession of, or threat to use, nuclear weapons:

Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty) - came into force in 1970
Hague Convention 1899, 1907
Geneva Protocol 1925
UN Charter 1945
Geneva Convention 1949
Nuremberg London Charter 1945/6
Genocide Act 1969
Additional Protocol 1977
Manuals of Military Law


For further information and photos, contact:
Daniel Viesnik
E-mail:  dviesnik@yahoo.co.uk

repost

Additions

Report on original action

18.12.2007 22:52

dv


Video of the blockade

19.12.2007 16:57

Here's a video of the blockade in question...

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7Ghw0GQaZM

RW


Comments

Hide the following 3 comments

Report from local rag

19.12.2007 09:55

dv


Write Irene a Solidarity Letter or Postcard c/- this address

20.12.2007 01:09

I've spent a couple of years in jail (U.S.,OZ,Ireland) for nonviolent resistance to warmaking. I know how much a letter or postcard of support means when you're in and even when you just get out. So if you'd like to write Irene and maximise your chances of your correspondence getting to her write
Irene Willis
c/- LCW
16 De Beauvoir Rd.
London N1 5SU
...and we will redirect the mail to her upon release!
Ciaron

Ciaron
- Homepage: http://www.londoncatholicworker.org


Irene due for release Friday am

20.12.2007 16:44

Irene is due to be released from Holloway prison on Friday morning (exact time not known, but supporters will be there from 8-9). Additional support to congratulate Irene on her principled stance would be welcome.

The address is:
HMP Holloway
Parkhurst Road
London
N7 0NU
(Nearest tube: Caledonian Road)

Tel: 020 7979 4400
Fax: 020 7979 4401

 http://hmprisonservice.gov.uk/prisoninformation/locateaprison/prison.asp?id=454,15,2,15,454,0


dv
mail e-mail: dviesnik at yahoo dot co dot uk


Kollektives

Birmingham
Cambridge
Liverpool
London
Oxford
Sheffield
South Coast
Wales
World

Other UK IMCs
Bristol/South West
London
Northern Indymedia
Scotland

London Topics

Afghanistan
Analysis
Animal Liberation
Anti-Nuclear
Anti-militarism
Anti-racism
Bio-technology
Climate Chaos
Culture
Ecology
Education
Energy Crisis
Fracking
Free Spaces
Gender
Globalisation
Health
History
Indymedia
Iraq
Migration
Ocean Defence
Other Press
Palestine
Policing
Public sector cuts
Repression
Social Struggles
Technology
Terror War
Workers' Movements
Zapatista

London IMC

Desktop

About | Contact
Mission Statement
Editorial Guidelines
Publish | Help

Search :