Today a new oratorio, "Trident: A British War Crime", was given a special premiere in Parliament Hall, Edinburgh, for the benefit of the Scottish High Court Judges, Advocates and Lawyers. Performed without permission by 17 non-violent peace activists from Trident Ploughshares this new oratorio highlights the hypocrisy of "justice" around Trident, Britain's nuclear weapons system. Peace protestors are branded criminals for taking action against these illegal weapons of mass destruction, while Trident itself continues to be maintained, sucking resources away from other vital public services.
Inside Parliament Hall
The singers were resurrecting the 19th century tradition of music making in Parliament Hall. Shortly after the performance started security at the Hall became agitated and seemed insistent on halting the performance. Several advocates and lawyers, and even a judge, stopped to listen to the oratorio and commented on how much they enjoyed such an innovative way of making a point - although few were so eager to pledge their support for the message being conveyed.
The oratorio was specially written by Camilla Cancantata, an improvising musician and composer based in London. "I wanted to challenge the idea that art and politics are separate. Bringing music to these oft-repeated words reveals their true meanings and will, hopefully, bring the message home to the Scottish judiciary that Trident is a crime."
This performance will be the first of many, with plans to take the oratorio to USAF Lakenheath, Suffolk, where US nuclear weapons are stored, to a tribunal considering the legality of nuclear war plans in London, and possibly even to the Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference in New York next year. The next Scottish performance will be on August 23rd and form part of "Carry-on up the Clyde", an action to disrupt business at all the Trident related sites on the Clyde.
The oratorio was specially written by Camilla Cancantata, an improvising musician and composer based in London. "I wanted to challenge the idea that art and politics are separate. Bringing music to these oft-repeated words reveals their true meanings and will, hopefully, bring the message home to the Scottish judiciary that Trident is a crime."
This performance will be the first of many, with plans to take the oratorio to USAF Lakenheath, Suffolk, where US nuclear weapons are stored, to a tribunal considering the legality of nuclear war plans in London, and possibly even to the Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference in New York next year. The next Scottish performance will be on August 23rd and form part of "Carry-on up the Clyde", an action to disrupt business at all the Trident related sites on the Clyde.
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