Brian's Blockade Reports

Having recently returned from Glastonbury where they helped decorate the fence with banners celebrating 25 years of resistance to UK nuclear weapons Faslane Peace Campers established a blockade of the Faslane Naval Base today. Three peace campers were arrested and charged with a “Breach of the Peace” after they “locked on” to create a human blockade of the nuclear weapons base in opposition to Trident. Displaying a banner which read “Trident: Illegal, Immoral, Intolerable” and one panel of the colorful “Smash Trident” Triptych which they had painted for the Glastonbury fence in celebration of the FP|C birthday the trio blocked the road to the South Gate of the base using heavy concrete reinforced pipes. One of the lock-ons used had become affectionately known as “the mother of all lock-ons”, and had been carted from one training to another but not used until now because of concerns that its prodigious bulk would prohibit fast action. But when the cutting crew chipped away the top layer of concrete and revealed a rusty saw blade Matt and Squeaky immediately unlocked. Allaying the concerns of the cutting crew for their safety Squeaky, one of the blockaders said “I am a nonviolent person. The next time I do an action I don’t want these guys to think I might do something that might harm someone.”

Faslane365

Press Release: 9 March 2007

Peace Movement Protest at Trident Base on Day of Trident Debate/Vote

Wednesday 14 March 8a.m. to noon at North Gate of Faslane Naval Base.

Individuals and groups from across Scotland will denounce Trident and call for disarmament of Britain’s weapons of mass destruction in a demonstration at Faslane Naval Base at 8a.m. Wednesday 14th March.

Today a bunch of us from Faslane365, Faslane Peace Camp, Helensburgh CND and Trident Ploughshares were picked up from Helensburgh pier by a Greenpeace RIB, one of their inflatable speedboats, and taken out to the Greenpeace boat Arctic Sunrise where we joined members of Clergy Action, and MSPs Rosie Kane (SSP), Frances Curran (SSP) and Patrick Harvie (Green Party). On the pier we were being closely surveilled by the MOD (Ministry of Defense) polis and in the water we were accompanied by 3 MOD boats. Under dark clouds we sailed up the Gareloch to get the closest view most of us have ever had of the Vengeance in 12 Berth. The clergy went out in the RIB and laid a CND wreath in the water as close to the high security boom as the heavy police presence would allow. As I looked through binoculars at the dark grey metal sub, which carries the destructive power of 1500 Hiroshima bombs tears streamed down my face. After all these years of opposition these abominable things are still here in this beautiful place. Mists shrouded the hills. It was cold on deck and raining steadily.

Three OAPs were arrested today at the Pensioner’s for Peace Valentine’s Day demonstration at Faslane naval base in protest against government plans to upgrade the Trident nuclear missile system.