West Country Anti-militarism Feature Archive

Nibby David was poisoned by DU whilst working in the aerospace industry and is now very ill. He has a court case coming up in the west country next year to try and get compensation. Basically this case will question the legality of DU and is of international importance. If he wins many poisoned by DU - Gulf War Veterans, workers, and civilian populations of Iraq, Afgahistan, Kosovo, Bosnia -stand to benefit.

Bushwhacked Aerospace worker fights for life / Flash movie of the effects of DU in Iraq ( 9oo K - strong content)/ The Pandora Project - DU research project

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Early Monday morning two Trident Ploughshares activists were arrested after scaling a perimeter wall at Devonport naval dockyard, where Trident nuclear weapon submarine HMS Vanguard is undergoing a refit. Read more >>

Wednesday 19th saw a National Student Day of Action Against War. Across the country students walked out of classes, held meetings, protested and engaged in civil disobedience. There were several reports of clashes with police. Thousands took to the streets blocking traffic in Birmingham, Edinburgh,[ audio1|2| 3], Sheffield, Cardiff, Liverpool, Manchester (12 arrests), and Whitehall in London (video: heavy handed police). There were also demonstrations in Leicester, Swansea and other towns and cities across the country including Presteigne and Worcester.

On Monday, 700 students took to the streets in in Totnes, South Devon, with over 200 blockading a petrol station. Students at Atlantic College in South Wales joined in a Global Peace Vigil as part of a worldwide show of opposition to War on Sunday. Members of University College London stop the war coalition dropped a banner reading 'No war for oil' and 'End the occupation' in Oxford Street during the Friday lunch hour, while others blocked traffic outside Parliament (die-in pics).

Six pupils from Hove who walked out of school last week to take part in an anti-war demonstration were suspended for two months and not be allowed back till their GCSE examinations. Eighteen students at another School in Herts, have been also been excluded for participating in an anti-war rally. Police refused to monitor an anti-war demonstration by more than 500 children in Oxford last week and blamed their schools and parents for allowing it to happen. The pupils brought chaos to the city centre after storming out of schools at lunchtime. In Sheffield on March the 5th, angry pupils stormed into 4 different colleges after having made their point in a noisy protest at the City Hall [Pictures and report].

This follows the thousands of children that have walked out of their schools across Britain and globally. Many student anti-war demonstrations since the beginning of March co-insided with the 'Books not bombs' campaign. Read more >>

Indymedia has an exclusive interview with the two peace protesters who entered HMS Vanguard undetected last week. They were released on bail having been held over the weekend and appearing in court Monday morning. The sub is one of the UKs four Trident nuclear submarines and is currently undergoing a refit at Devonport docks in Plymouth. The two broke into the base and wandered around for sub for almost half a hour before setting of a fire alarm in order to draw attention to their presence.
"I can't see the logic of a situation where Tony Blair is threatening Iraq with war if they don't grant access to weapons inspectors, when at the same time we were arrested for a peaceful inspection of Britain's illegal weapons of mass destruction."
The action took place at the start of an International Disarmament Camp based at a squatted MOD complex near the docks. Other actions included street leafleting, a multi-faith service and blockades at Albert gate and Cammels Head Gate (video). Locals have pledged to keep up the pressure. [ Further info | Personal Account | Photos | Corporate Press | Trident Ploughshares ]

See IMC-UK World page for international reports on Civilian Weapons Inspections. Read more >>

Over five hundred people supported the CND national Scrap Trident demonstration in Plymouth. They came from as far afield as Southampton and Birmingham with local support from Plymouth and the surrounding areas to march, chant and show solidarity in the campaign against nuclear weapons.
They called for the UK government to comply with International Law and scrap the Trident nuclear weapons program. They also rejected Tony Blair's hypocritical pro-war stance in relation to weapons of mass destruction. Read more >>

Risks to Plymouth residents from nuclear facilities at Devonport dockyard are being deliberately downplayed for commercial reasons according to anti-nuclear campaigners and experts. Devonport Management Ltd. (DML) are hiding behind official secrets legislation, they say, to play down the danger the dockyard poses to the public. Read more >>

HMS Vanguard – a trident class nuclear submarine arrived in Plymouth, in a blaze of media glory for a long overdue refit, circled by an impregnable ring of police boats. Hundreds of anti-nuclear protesters had travelled from across the country to demonstrate at her arrival. The demo marched around the dockyards, then sat down at the dockyard's gates and observed a moment of silence. The march then finished peacefully and dispersed, but seven Trident Ploughshares protestors who stayed behind to block one of the gates were arrested for obstruction.

Numerous times before we have seen that when people feel strongly enough about something, they can make a difference. Those people may have gone away having made connections that will change their own lives and help to create a better future. The protest came just a week before the planned Big Blockade at the Trident submaring base is Faslane. Read more >>