Luminaries

Prominent People Who Will Participate in the Big Blockade

See here for statements from some of these people

• Bob Doris MSP (SNP)
• Marlyn Glen MSP (Labour, Convener of the Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Nuclear Disarmament) [Statement from Maryln Glen]
• Patrick Harvie MSP (Green)
• Robin Harper MSP (Green) [Statement from Robin Harper]
• Bill Kidd MSP (SNP)
• Gil Paterson MSP (SNP)
• Sandra White MSP (SNP) [Statement from Sandra White]
• Jill Evans MEP (Plaid Cymru) [Statement from Jill Evans]
• Rev Kathy Galloway, Leader of the Iona Community, poet, author of books on Spirituality
• Roy Bailey, described by Tony Benn as "the greatest socialist folksinger of his generation". In 2006, he returned his MBE in protest at the UK government's foreign policy with regard to Lebanon and Palestine. Together with Tony Benn awarded "Best Live Act" at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, for "Writing on the Wall." Emeritus Professor of Social Studies at Sheffield Hallam University
• Seize the Day, folk band
• Leon Rosselson, folk singer

This list will be updated as we approach the blockade. For an up-to-date list please check back at this page.

Prominent People Who Have Participated During Faslane 365

• Mairead Corrigan Maguire, Northern Ireland, Hon. President and co-founder, Peace People, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate (1976)
• Stephen Cottrell, Anglican Bishop of Reading [Statement from Stephen Cottrell]
• John Rowley, Trustee of the Gandhi Foundation

Writers, artists and performers

• Adrian Mitchell, 'Shadow Poet Laureate' http://www.rippingyarns.co.uk/adrian/
• Roy Bailey, described by Tony Benn as "the greatest socialist folksinger of his generation". In 2006, he returned his MBE in protest at the UK government's foreign policy with regard to Lebanon and Palestine. Together with Tony Benn awarded "Best Live Act" at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, for "Writing on the Wall." Emeritus Professor of Social Studies at Sheffield Hallam University
• Billy Bragg, folk singer.
• Roger Lloyd Pack, actor, played Trigger in Only Fools and Horses, Barty Crouch Senior in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Owen Newitt in The Vicar of Dibley
• AL Kennedy, comic and author of Day, Paradise and other works: Her site
• Folk band Seize the Day
• Allan Cameron, poet and author of Presbyopia and The Berlosconi Bonus.

Academics

• Professor Sir Richard Jolly, former Asst Secretary General of the UN, Honorary Professor of the Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex. Trustee of OXFAM. Former Deputy Executive Director in UNICEF. For Full Biography see here (PDF). Arrested at Faslane with his wife, Dr Alison Jolly, an expert on human evolution and daughters Dr Margaretta Jolly, University of Exeter and Susie Jolly
• Professor John Hull, Emeritus Professor of Religious Education, University of Birmingham, Honorary Professor of Practical Theology in the Queen's Foundation
• Dr Nadje Al-Ali, Exeter University, Author, Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies
• Professor Lynn Jamieson, Professor in Sociology and Co-Director of the Centre for Research on Families and Relationships (CRFR)
• Professor Kouichi Toyoshima
• Dr. Michael Randle, original member of the Committee of One Hundred, Department of Peace Studies, University of Bradford

Elected Representatives who have participated in Faslane 365

• Harry Cohen MP
• Jeremy Corbyn MP (Labour)
• Hywel Williams MP (Plaid Cymru)
• Nicola Sturgeon MSP (SNP)
• Linda Fabiani MSP (SNP)
• Fiona Hyslop MSP (SNP)
• Tricia Marwick MSP (SNP)
• Jim Mather MSP (SNP)
• Michael Matheson MSP (SNP)
• Sandra White MSP (SNP)
• Marlyn Glen MSP (Labour, Convenor of Cross-Party group on Nuclear Disarmament in the Scottish Parliament)
• Robin Harper MSP (Green Party)
• Patrick Harvie MSP
• Caroline Lucas MEP
• Jill Evans MEP (Plaid Cymru)
• Jean Lambert MEP (Green)
• Leanne Wood AM (Plaid Cymru)
• Frances Curran (MSP at the time, SSP)
• Carolyn Leckie (MSP at the time, SSP)
• Mark Ruskell (MSP at the time, Green)
• Rosie Kane, (MSP at the time, SSP)
• Tommy Sheridan, (MSP at the time, Solidarity)
• Chris Ballance (MSP at the time, Green)
• Colin Fox (MSP at the time, SSP)
• Krista van Velzen (MP in Dutch Parliament)
• Isobel Strong (Councillor, Argyll and Bute)

A Brief Summary of the Faslane 365 Yearlong Blockade

Since 1st October 2006 thousands of people from throughout the UK, ten European countries, and as far away as Japan have protested at Faslane against Trident, Britain’s nuclear weapons system. There have been over 180 days of presence and nearly a thousand people arrested for blockading and charged with Breach of the Peace. Most of these were held overnight, sometimes for up to 36 hours, only to be released the next day with all charges dropped. Only 51 cases have actually been prosecuted. Thus far only eight trials have been completed with six people found guilty and two acquitted. Four cases have been dropped part-way through. Fines have ranged from £100 to £500.

The 125 autonomous participating groups have sought to apply critical public pressure for the disarmament of Britain’s nuclear weapons and to demonstrate the range of serious concerns – from human rights to climate change – that people in the real world consider to be the vital challenges for the 21st century. These groups included, among many others, environmentalists like Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth, faith groups including Buddhists, Quakers and Christians, Unity! the union of asylum seekers, human rights campaigners, artists, acclaimed writers, musicians and actors, peoples’ choirs, clowns, groups of professionals such as teachers, lawyers and health professionals, and Elected Representatives including Scottish Councillors and Parliamentarians from Holyrood, Westminster, Wales, Europe, and Holland.

Blockaders have used diverse, creative tactics. They have sat in the road, linked arms, superglued hands together and to the gate, “locked-on” with carabiners inside sections of plastic and steel pipe and even a concrete filled barrel which police had to cut through with a jackhammer. Base traffic has been disrupted for up to six hours at a time. Activists have sat atop tripods in the gateway and road so MOD had to erect scaffolding to remove them. One group scaled the fence while others rode bicycles in through the gate triggering the ‘bandit alarm’ so that the base was locked down.

Greenpeace blockaded Trident in its port by anchoring the Arctic Sunrise across the sea gate until police cut the anchor to remove her. Fifty University lecturers and students held a seminar in the gateway. There were solemn religious services such as Quaker meetings, Buddhist meditation, a candlelit Christmas vigil and a service by the Bishop of Reading, in mitre and vestments, who led the congregation to block the gateway. Several theological colleges held a service ending in a blockade.

In a moving testimony ten Japanese including survivors of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki laid peace cranes across the gateway and some locked on through large sections of bamboo. There were musical and theatrical performances, and many groups engaged in colourful and humorous actions. Spaniards poured paint over themselves and Swiss dressed as cows. There has been a Tea Party, a Silent Disco, a blockade by bananas in tiny tinfoil lock-ons, and a Faslane Highland Games with a Tug of Peace across the gateway. Blockaders have ranged in age from 13 to 89.

Faslane 365 will culminate in a Big Blockade on 1st October 2007, in which many of the groups and individuals who have been part of Faslane 365 over the year will join together (with some who haven't made it to Faslane yet this year) to celebrate the year and renew our commitment to seeing Trident banished from Scotland and a nuclear-free world.

Briefing on Trident, its manufacture, deployment and renewal

‘Trident’ is short-hand for Britain’s only nuclear weapons system, which comprises four Vanguard-class nuclear submarines, equipped with US Trident D-5 ballistic missiles (SLBM), and sustained by a stockpile of nearly 200 warheads. The current system was designed for the cold war Soviet threat and planned to be operational until the 2020s. The current Trident system costs Britain over £1,500,000,000 pounds (£1.5 billion) every year to run.

The UK submarines are built at Barrow, Cumbria, by BAE Systems, which has been mired in frequent corruption scandals. The ‘home-port’ for Trident is the HM Naval Base Clyde at Faslane, 30 miles from Glasgow. Current deterrence doctrine requires that at least one British nuclear-powered Trident submarine is always out on patrol, carrying 16 missiles armed with up to 48 thermo-nuclear warheads. Most of the warheads are 100 kilotonnes, which means that their destructive capacity – a hundred thousand tonnes of TNT equivalent – is around eight times greater than the atomic bomb that destroyed Hiroshima and killed over 140,000 civilians.

About half of these deaths were instantaneous due to heat and blast effects. The firestorm produced by the bomb killed tens of thousands more. Burned flesh fell from the bodies of many who suffered horrible pain for hours, days and weeks prior to death. Radiation sickness killed thousands more in the weeks, months and years that followed the bombing. Even today survivors (‘Hibakusha’) and their children and grandchildren are dying from cancers caused by exposure to radiation from the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs.

After a rushed debate and with a three-line whip imposed by the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition together, the UK parliament voted on May 14th to allow research and development on a new class of submarines to upgrade Trident. The motion was: “This House supports the Government’s decision as set out in the white paper The Future of the United Kingdom’s Nuclear Deterrent (CM6994) to take the steps necessary to maintain the UK minimum strategic nuclear deterrent beyond the life of the existing system and to take further steps towards meeting the UK’s disarmament responsibilities under Article VI of the Non- proliferation treaty”. The motion was carried by 409 votes to 161. In a severe blow to the credibility of the government’s position, 88 Labour MPs opposed and several others failed to register votes. Several Scottish junior ministers and ministerial aides (and one Welsh aide) resigned government jobs in order to vote against the whip.

Though the government published a price tag of £20 billion, the actual replacement of the system has been estimated by the Liberal Democrats to cost over £76 billion, which could well rise to more than £100 billion if the new nuclear weapons went ahead. Parliament has been promised a further debate before construction of the submarines or changes to the warheads are authorized.

US-UK Nuclear Collaboration

Most of Britain’s nuclear weapon system is based on US technology. The warheads are manufactured at AWE Aldermaston and Burghfield in Berkshire, but they are based on the W76 US warhead and have to fit Trident D5 missiles. The UK ‘leases’ the missiles, which are designed, manufactured and refurbished by US arms manufacturer Lockheed Martin at the US King’s Bay facility. Aldermaston, which produces the UK’s warheads, is co-managed by Lockheed-Martin. The very close nuclear collaboration between British and US scientists is coordinated through the 1958 Mutual Defence Agreement (MDA), which was renewed in 2004, ignoring requests from MPs for a debate.

Though Congress has restricted funding, the US has embarked on a design and development process intended to lead to a new generation of more flexible warheads, currently dubbed the ‘reliable replacement warhead’. Despite UK government denials, US analysts have revealed that Britain is collaborating in design work, including subcritical warhead testing, and may also be preparing to build a similar warhead if Trident is renewed. It should be noted that three years before the March 2007 vote in Parliament, Aldermaston had received over £5.3 billion to build a new laser facility and supercomputer which will be used to design and test any new warheads for Trident.

For more info, see www.acronym.org.uk, especially ‘Worse than Irrelevant: British Nuclear Weapons in the 21st Century’ (PDF), by Rebecca Johnson, Nicola Butler, Stephen Pullinger. Acronym Institute: London, 2006.

For the latest on construction and planning developments at Aldermaston and Burghfield see www.aldermaston.net.

Political Context of the Faslane 365 yearlong Blockade against Trident

Three political events formed the backdrop for Faslane 365’s yearlong blockade – the UK White Paper (published December 2006) and debate on renewing Trident, Britain’s submarine-based weapon of mass destruction; elections for the Scottish Parliament on May 3rd 2007; and the first meeting of the 2010 review cycle for the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), April-May 2007.

At a time when the majority of British public opinion is portrayed as uninterested in nuclear issues, a primary objective was to raise awareness and opposition to the government’s precooked decision to renew Trident. But Faslane 365 aimed to do more than raise consciousness. We wanted directly to disrupt what we see as illegal nuclear weapon deployments and the military-nuclear machine, and stimulate a regrowth in nonviolent community-based activism on peace, justice and environmental issues.

Contents

• Challenging Trident Renewal
• Scotland Rejects Trident
• Renewal of Trident condemned internationally
• Building a stronger peace movement

Challenging Trident Renewal

Faslane 365 started on October 1, 2006, shortly before publication of the government’s White Paper on Trident replacement. In bringing people from all over the world to close the base for however long they could, the blockades focussed opposition to Trident and highlighted how the continued deployment of nuclear weapons violates Britain’s international legal obligations, notably the NPT and humanitarian law.

In the run-up to the vote on Trident in the Westminster parliament on March 14th, Faslane 365 kept up pressure to show the immorality, illegality and insecurity of Trident. Although Tony Blair won that vote with the help of David Cameron and a three-line whip imposed on both the Labour and Conservative Parties, he lost the argument and was heavily opposed within the Labour Party. MPs from all sides of the house challenged the ‘insurance policy’ and ‘deterrence’ justifications for replacing Trident, and argued that nuclear weapons provide neither genuine status nor security for Britain. They questioned the government’s declared budget of £20 billion and showed that Trident replacement was likely to cost over £76 billion – a vast sum that would be better spent on conflict prevention programmes, education and alleviating poverty.

Most significantly, almost half of Labour’s backbenchers – 88 – rebelled and joined the Liberal Democrats, independent parties and a few Tories in voting against Trident. In a courageous show of conscientious objection, the deputy Leader of the House of Commons, Edinburgh MP Nigel Griffiths, and several junior ministers and government aides also resigned their positions in order to vote against their own government’s decision to procure the next generation of nuclear weapons.

Scotland Rejects Trident

The persistent blockades at Faslane generated press coverage and helped to raise awareness in Scotland in the run-up to the May 2007 elections, ensuring that opposition to Trident became one of the most important issues on which voters cast their ballots. For the first time ever, an anti-nuclear party was elected to government. A month later, on 14th June, 71 Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) voted on a Green Party motion against Trident replacement. Only 16 (all Conservative) voted against. The Scottish Labour Party split, with some voting with the majority in favour, while 39 MSPs abstained. This historic vote must now be carried forward by the Scottish government.

Scotland is not only part of the British Isles, but also in Europe. Over time, the European Union has forged a Common Foreign and Security Policy based around international cooperation and the consolidation of democracy, the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms. While seeking to develop a more independent agenda for peace and security may bring Scottish aspirations – especially the rejection of Trident – into temporary conflict with some of Westminster’s current foreign and nuclear policies, Scotland’s peace policies can be integrated more directly with European and United Nations principles, agreements and perspectives.

The 1998 Scotland Act does not make this easy, because it reserved powers to Westminster on matters relating to national security, defence and foreign policy; but this does not mean that Scotland should have no voice or policy on these issues. Schedule V of the Act specifies that “observing and implementing international obligations, obligations under the Human Rights Convention and obligations under Community law” are not reserved matters. Underpinning potential new Scottish legislation on preventing crimes committed by weapons of mass destruction is the understanding that Westminster cannot reserve and impose on Scotland something that is contrary to international law and Britain’s own international and treaty obligations. In other words, illegalities cannot be reserved. And there are strong legal grounds to argue that with regard to nuclear weapons, London is making an unlawful imposition on Scotland.

Furthermore, as set out for the ‘Prevention of Crimes Committed by Weapons of Mass Destruction (Scotland) Bill 2007’, sponsored by Michael Matheson MSP, the use or threatened use of Trident in accordance with UK doctrine and policy would be unlawful. Hence, not only the replacement, but also the current deployment of these nuclear weapons must be considered unlawful.

Scotland therefore has legal as well as moral and political grounds to reject having nuclear weapons. There are overwhelming environmental and safety grounds for refusing to have nuclear weapons as well. In addition to the nuclear-armed and nuclear-powered submarines deployed out of Faslane, live warheads are frequently transported on public roads from Aldermaston near London to RNAD Coulport, 40 miles from Glasgow. The Scottish government has the right and duty to insist that if Westminster wants to strut its nuclear weapons on the international stage, it should find somewhere else to put them. Contrary to the misinformation peddled by some Trident supporters, this will not cost jobs but could create new economic opportunities, as highlighted in the Scottish TUC/SCND study on ‘Cancelling Trident: the Economic and Employment Consequences for Scotland’. This report looked only at denuclearising Faslane, but if the naval base were also closed down, this would free up the prime loch-side location for alternative jobs and peaceful purposes, including sport, recreation and research and industrial development into renewable energy technologies.

Renewal of Trident condemned internationally

Faslane 365 participants played an important part in keeping Trident very visibly on the table before and during the meeting of the Non-Proliferation Treaty parties in April-May. On the first day, civil society representatives distributed an open letter from the heads of Scotland’s Catholic and Protestant Churches, Cardinal Keith Patrick O’Brien and the Right Reverend Alan D. McDonald. In it, these church leaders castigated nuclear weapons as “immoral, inhumane, and contrary to the teachings of all the world’s major faiths”. They also wrote, “Nuclear dangers and human insecurity will increase if nuclear weapons continue to be treated by some countries as a currency of power or as if they were an indispensable part of defence for the foreseeable future.” This is a point taken up by many non-nuclear parties to the treaty. A week later, NPT delegates were outraged to learn that nuclear warheads had been driven across Edinburgh by the MoD on the penultimate day of the NPT conference (one day after the new Scottish Parliament was sworn in).

The UK’s plans to build a new generation of nuclear weapons for the next 50 years was deplored by many countries at the NPT meeting. Ambassador Paul Kavanagh (Ireland) for the New Agenda Coalition of non-nuclear states said the “replacement or modernization of nuclear weapons” ran “counter to the agreement reached at the 2000 Review Conference … to eliminate these weapons”. The UK diplomats defended Trident renewal, declaring: “The UK is retaining not modernising its deterrent. There is no change in the capabilities of the system, no move to produce more useable weapons and no change in nuclear posture or doctrine.” However, South Africa spoke for many when Ambassador Abdul Minty said: “We were disappointed to learn about the decision of the UK on the Trident to maintain its nuclear deterrent. This could have been a landmark decision for others to follow, which could have provided the necessary impetus to a disarmament process that desperately needs to be reinvigorated.”

In a real victory for the work of civil society, including Faslane 365’s strategy and persistence, the Chair of the NPT Conference, Ambassador Yukiya Amano of Japan, gave unprecedented recognition to the criticisms about Trident and other nuclear weapons developements in paragraph 12 of his Summary: “Concern and disappointment were voiced about plans to replace or modernize nuclear weapons and their means of delivery or platform, the increased role of nuclear weapons in strategic and military doctrines, and the possibility of lowering the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons...” The Indonesian Ambassador, speaking for the Non-Aligned Movement, reiterated the 1996 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice, and recalled that the UK has a “legal obligation to pursue in good faith and bring nuclear disarmament negotiations to a conclusion”. He called for all the Nuclear Weapons States to eliminate their nuclear arsenals in compliance with the Programme of action (‘Thirteen Steps’) agreed at the 2000 NPT Review Conference.

Building a stronger peace movement

An important objective for Faslane 365 was to stimulate the building of communities of responsibility and resistance and to put the broader security picture into the frame. The White Paper called the renewal of Trident “a price worth paying” and advertised to the world that London considers nuclear weapons to be indispensable and expects them to retain a high political value for at least five more decades. At a time when Britain should be driving the agenda to devalue and eliminate nuclear weapons, the Labour Party bizarrely appeared to be trying to re-stage and win out-dated cold war battles.

Faslane 365’s strategy was based on breaking the nuclear chain in Scotland, where over 70% of people oppose nuclear weapons. If Trident cannot be deployed in Scotland, Westminster will have immense difficulty finding an alternative submarine port and would have to build warhead handling facilities to go with it, which would provoke widespread local opposition. Perpetuating illusions of nuclear deterrence distracts from the real security measures that need to be undertaken to address global threats like climate change, poverty and disease.

With new administrations in Westminster and Holyrood, there is a historic opportunity to lay different foundations for peace and security in the 21st century and beyond. While closing down the Faslane base will take time and concerted legal and political pressure, there are initiatives that can immediately be embarked on that would prepare the way for dealing more appropriately with current and foreseeable security challenges.

In recent history, civil resistance has played a critical role in raising awareness of nuclear dangers and making certain weapons undeployable. Peace movements have also been a crucible for ideas about security alternatives. The Faslane 365 blockades have brought a diverse variety of peace and justice groups to the nuclear base. Together we have shown that in ridding Britain of nuclear weapons it will be important to put in place alternative peace and security policies and tools, paying greater attention to the environment, justice and a more equitable sharing of the planet’s gifts.

Coachloads of Activists to Join Big Blockade of Faslane Nuclear Base from 7 a.m. October 1st

News Advisory: Faslane, Scotland, September 18, 2007

Contacts: 0845 45 88 365 / 07733 360955 /07768 312 676

Hundreds of peace activists will risk arrest on October 1st when over a thousand people are expected to join in a “Big Blockade” of Faslane Naval Base. This will be the culmination of the Faslane 365 year of actions against Trident, Britain’s weapon of mass destruction. People and groups from all over Britain (and abroad) will use diverse nonviolent methods to block the entrances to the nuclear base and disrupt the ongoing deployment of Trident.

As they have done over the past twelve months, the groups and individuals, who will include Members of the Scottish and European Parliaments and well-known singers and artists, will highlight the illegality, insecurity and waste of resources inherent in the deployment and renewal of Trident. Throughout the day there will be colourful, creative and dramatic actions at the gates, including many different kinds of lock-ons and sit-downs.

“This Big Blockade will be a carnival of resistance to celebrate Faslane 365’s achievements in highlighting and disrupting the illegal nuclear deployments over the year,” said Dr Rebecca Johnson from the Faslane 365 Steering Group. “We will join together to mark the end of this year's campaigning, and to make clear our determination to keep up pressure on the Scottish and UK governments to get rid of Trident and to take the lead in moving the world towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons, in accordance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the wishes of the majority.”

As diverse groups of activists blockade the gates, folk legends Leon Rosselson and Seize the Day will be providing music, and the renowned Roy Bailey and David Ferrard will perform songs from a forthcoming album about the Iraq War. A twelve-member choir will sing the oratorio Trident - A British War Crime, by Camilla Cancantata, first performed at the Edinburgh High Court in 2005. The Rev. Kathy Galloway, leader of the Iona Community, will celebrate a communion service at 10am at the North Gate with Clergy Action and Christian CND. Several Members of the Scottish Parliament, including Marlyn Glen (Labour), Robin Harper (Green) and Patrick Harvie (Green), as well as Jill Evans MEP (Plaid Cymru) have confirmed their participation and will be available for interviews.

Since Faslane 365 started on October 1, 2006, thousands have participated and more than 950 people have been arrested. Participants have included elected representatives from Scottish, UK and European Parliaments and local councils, Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, Buddhists, Christians, 'Unity!' union of asylum seekers, artists, writers, academics, students from the UK, Europe and Japan, atomic bomb survivors from Nagasaki, teachers, lawyers, health professionals and pensioners. Specific groups have come from many regions of Scotland, England and Wales and from eleven other European countries, as well as Japan and the United States. Prominent participants included the Bishop of Reading Stephen Cotterell, former UN Assistant Secretary-General Prof Sir Richard Jolly, Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Maguire, Adrian Mitchell, A.L.Kennedy, actor Roger Lloyd Pack and singer-songwriter Billy Bragg.

For further background information on Trident, a summary of the political context of the campaign, and a selection of photos from the yearlong blockade see the full Press Briefing Pack on the website. www.faslane365.org/1oct/press

Contacts: 0845 45 88 365 / 07733 360955 /07768 312 676

Parliamentarians to Join Big Blockade of Faslane Nuclear Base October 1st

Press Release: Faslane, Scotland, September 29, 2007

Contacts: Dr. Rebecca Johnson 07733 360955 /Brian Larkin 07768 312 676

Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond sent his best wishes for a successful event as 8 MSPs and one MEP have so far pledged to join hundreds of protesters on Monday in support of the Faslane 365 Big Blockade in opposition to Trident, Britain’s nuclear weapons based there. Among the messages of support received by the Campaign, Sandra White MSP (SNP) and Jill Evans MEP (Plaid Cymru) called on the Scots and Welsh respectively to join them in going to Faslane.

Sandra White MSP (SNP) said "I will be at the Big Blockade at Faslane on Monday 1st October and I encourage as many people as possible to come join in opposing Trident. I congratulate all those who have taken part in the Faslane365 campaign this past year. This is the most important event in the Scottish calendar this year because we can no longer afford both morally and financially to have these weapons of mass destruction on our shores".

Jill Evans MEP (Plaid Cymru Deputy President) speaking in her keynote address to the Plaid conference last Thursday, which was televised on BBC Wales said "It's too late to prevent the disaster in Iraq, and the plans for new nuclear weapons for Britain move ahead. But not unnoticed and not unimpeded. I invited all of you to come and take part in the big blockade at the Faslane nuclear submarine base where the Trident missiles are sited. I would invite you all again to join others from far and wide to protest against these Weapons of Mass Destruction and come and take part in the final day on October the 1st". Ms Evans was among the elected representatives arrested at the gates of the Faslane nuclear weapons base in January this year.

Alex Salmond’s office sent a letter on behalf of the First Minister to the Faslane 365 organizers conveying "his best wishes for a successful event" and affirming his full support for "responsible and peaceful protest against the replacement of Trident". The letter further stated that Mr. Salmond "shares" Faslane 365’s "objective of removing nuclear weapons from Scotland’s soil" and affirmed that "He is committed to doing whatever he can to persuade the UK government to alter its position on nuclear weapons." As a first step, on October 22, the Scottish Government will hold a Summit of key stakeholders to discuss Scotland’s future without nuclear weapons.

Angie Zelter of the Faslane365 Steering Group said, "We look forward to participating in the National Conversation organised by the Scottish Government about our common goal of ridding Scotland – and the world – of nuclear weapons. In inviting Faslane 365, the Government is clearly recognizing the important role played by people power in mobilizing resistance to the illegal deployment of these nuclear weapons, including the transporting of nuclear warheads on public roads."

Hundreds of peace activists will risk arrest on October 1st when over a thousand people are expected to join the "Big Blockade" of Faslane to highlight the illegality, insecurity and waste of resources inherent in the deployment and renewal of Trident. Throughout the day there will be colourful, creative and dramatic actions at the gates, including many different kinds of lock-ons and sit-downs.

For the earlier Press Advisory on the Big Blockade, a summary of the political context of the campaign, and other background information on the yearlong blockade see the full Press Briefing Pack here on the website.

Contacts: Dr. Rebecca Johnson 07733 360955 /Brian Larkin 07768 312 676

Getting to the Info / Reception Point

Anderston Kelvingrove Church is in the west end of Glasgow city centre. The postcode is G3 8DS. It has a large, green, pyramid shaped roof.

By Public Transport

The nearest train stations are Anderston (on the lower level line from Central) or Charing Cross (on the lower level line from Queen St).

From Anderston Station

When you come out of the station there are steps up to a footbridge straight ahead of you. Walk past the steps and turn left. Cross the road at the traffic lights then walk straight ahead for about three minutes. The church is on the left.

From Charing Cross Station

Turn left out of the doors of the station then right along Elmbank Crescent (towards the motorway). At the end of the road (only 100 yards) turn left. Walk about two minutes to the next junction and turn right, over the motorway, onto St Vincent Street. At the next big crossroads turn left onto Elderslie Street. At the end of the street (only two minutes walk) is a mini-roundabout. The church is straight ahead.

From Glasgow Central Station

Take the exit from the station signposted as for Argyle St (near the low level trains). Turn right (west) along Argyle St. Walk for about 10-15 minutes. You will come to Anderston Station (see above).

From Glasgow Queen St Station

Come out of the front of Queen St station and turn right along West George St. At the first crossroads turn left down Buchanan St then take the first right along St Vincent St. Walk along St Vincent St for about 15 minutes or so, until it crosses the motorway. At the next big crossroads turn left onto Elderslie Street. At the end of the street (only two minutes walk) is a mini-roundabout. The church is straight ahead.

From Buchanan Bus Station

Turn left out of the entrance to the bus station then right along Killermont St. At the crossroads turn left down West Nile St. Walk down West Nile St for about 2-3 minutes until you get to a crossroads with St Vincent St. Turn right and walk along St Vincent St for about 15 minutes or so, until it crosses the motorway. At the next big crossroads turn

By Road

Come in to Glasgow on the M8 heading west. At Junction 18 exit on the right (i.e. from the fast lane!) onto the A804. Go along the A804 for about 600 yards. Turn right at St Vincent St then left at Elderslie St. At the mini roundabout turn left and you're there.eft onto Elderslie Street. At the end of the street (only two minutes walk) is a mini-roundabout. The church is straight ahead.

Legal Briefing for Blockading

[A number of additional briefings (for Young People, Internationals and Drivers) and more detailed arrest process are available.]

In writing this briefing we are building on many years of experience of blockading Faslane and on the experience of Faslane 365 so far. Many hundreds of people have been arrested and many more have taken part without being arrested and for most it has been a positive, even liberating, experience.

While the charges and police behaviour over the years have been relatively predictable, this project was intended to be an escalation of the effectiveness of these blockades. The police tactics did change slightly for Faslane 365, with most people being held overnight only to be released with the charges dropped. The claimed justification for this was the risk of re-offending if people were released that day due to the ongoing nature of the project. Since this is the end of Faslane 365 we don't know if people will be released that evening or held overnight.

Legal Support

See here

Possible Charges

Remember when reading this that some of what we cover here is worst-case scenarios. It is quite possible that no-one will face anything more serious than Breach of the Peace or Resisting Arrest.

Blockading

If you go onto the road at the entrance to the base it is likely that at some stage the police will tell you to move. If you refuse then you may be arrested. Ironically, given the reason why we're doing it, the usual charge is “Breach of the Peace”! Sometimes the police issue a warning to a whole group of people before moving in to arrest individuals. Our experience is that if you stay on the pavement it is unlikely that you will be arrested.

Breach of the Peace is a common-law offence (which means it's defined by previous court judgments rather than by Act of Parliament). While the offence goes back centuries the leading judgments (High Court rulings which define what BoP means) are fairly recent and tend to involve anti-nuclear protesters who blockaded Faslane! In theory, BoP requires "conduct severe enough to cause alarm to ordinary people and threaten serious disturbance to the community. It should be conduct that is genuinely alarming and disturbing, in its context, to any reasonable person ... it is clear that something substantially greater than mere irritation is involved". In practice our court does usually reckon that this includes peacefully sitting in the road at Faslane and you are likely to be convicted.

You may not be prosecuted ― the courts have a finite capacity (and see also below). Some people may be offered Fixed Penalty Notices, which are a bit like a speeding fine in that if you pay (they're usually £50) you don't get a criminal record. Some will hear nothing at all. Some may be prosecuted. This can be either in the District Court or in the Sheriff Court (the Procurator Fiscal gets to choose) and usually results in a fine of £50-£100 if you plead guilty or £100-£200 if you plead not guilty.

Resisting Arrest / Obstructing an Officer in the Course of Their Duty

If you are locked-on, fail to move when told to, or after arrest, then they may add one of these charges. This may (especially the resisting arrest) be dropped before the case gets to court but it may be prosecuted. Like BoP, these charges cover a huge range of situations but, given the nonviolent and accountable nature of these actions, this would be very much towards the trivial end of the spectrum and would usually result in a small fine.

Other Offences

Faslane is a Designated Area under section 129 of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (as amended by the Terrorism Act 2006). This means that it's an offence to be inside the fenceline without lawful authority (and potentially a serious one ― the maximum penalty is a year in prison). However, this only applies if you go inside the fenceline. As long as you stay outside the fence, even if you are on MoD land and/or blockading the gates, then you cannot be charged with this. For more information on this power see the Trident Ploughshares briefing.

It is also possible that they may decide to use section 14 of the Public Order Act (which allows them to put conditions on assemblies in certain situations). Depending on how it's done there are a number of ways to challenge this. The likely sentence, if convicted, would again be a smallish fine. It could make life more difficult for supporters who wish to be present but not to risk arrest ― but if they do impose a s14 they should provide a space in which we are allowed to be. If there were a total ban on assembly imposed then supporters would become potentially arrestable. We will be able to help advise what is likely to be do-able without risking arrest once the terms of the exact order are known. Remember also that the rights to Freedom of Assembly and Freedom of Expression are enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights and into Scots law via the Scotland Act and Human Rights Act. We may well be able to challenge these orders if they become too restrictive.

Prosecutions So Far

As of the end of August 2007, there have been nearly 1000 arrests at Faslane on Faslane 365 blockades. Only 43 have been prosecuted. The rest were either given letters (or promised that letters would arrive for them in the post) from the Procurator Fiscal informing them that although there was enough evidence to prosecute them they were not going to this time ― but if they did it again then they might be prosecuted next time. Some of those who had been arrested twice or three times for blockading received the same letter although the practice appears to be to start prosecuting on your third arrest (although 12 of the 38 were first time arrestees ― all from the same group in February, we're not sure why). Once you have got this letter they can't prosecute you. There has been only one fixed penalty notice given to one of the arrestees. Of course, this is the PF's decision and he could change policy at any time.

On the Day

Bust Cards

Make sure you have the phone number of the legal support team and of a solicitor. This will be provided on a Bust Card (get one when you register or at the gates). It is a good idea to write them numbers on your arm as well.

What Happens If I'm Arrested?

The first thing once you're under arrest is that you should be told that you are under arrest! After that, you will be asked to walk with two cops. If you refuse you will be carried (usually by four cops) either to a van or to the processing centre (in the oil depot by the cemetery car park). Once there you will be asked for your details, they might conduct a very basic search and a 'Polaroid' type photo will be taken of you with your two arresting officers. The only questions you have to answer are name and address. You will have the charge read to you and will be asked if you understand it and if you want to make a reply to it.

You will then be put into a van and taken to a police office. Once there you will be asked the same questions again and you will be searched (should only be a “pat-down” search). Your belongings will be taken off you (if you have a paperback book and ask to keep it they usually let you) and you will be put in a cell. You have the right to have someone informed ― please ask them to inform the Legal Support number on the Bust Card. If you want a solicitor you can ask for that as well (although most people will not need to see one unless they are actually taken to court). Tell the police if you have any dietary or medical requirements.

You may be taken out at some point to have a photograph, your fingerprints and possibly a DNA sample taken (they are allowed to do all three). You may be interviewed but it's unlikely ― the safest thing is always to just say “no comment”. You will be fed and can ask for blankets and water. Eventually, you will be released.

What do I do when I get released?

If the police can confirm your details and they are satisfied that the action is over you should be given all your property back and released. With previous Big Blockades, this was later that evening but so far in Faslane 365 most people have been released early afternoon the day following their arrest. The release process can take a long time if there are a lot of people in custody so be prepared for a long wait. We will try to arrange lifts to pick you up. Please ring Legal Support (number on the bust card) when you're out to see if transport is already en route and to let us know you're out.

What Happens if I am Held for Court?

If you are charged with a serious offence or your details don't check out or you are already on bail or there is a warrant for your arrest then you may be held and taken to court the next morning. [Note that people have often been told on the day of their arrest that they are being held for court then released with warning letters (and the charges dropped) the following day.] You can ask a solicitor to represent you or just to give you advice. You will probably be released on standard bail conditions ― this means that if you are arrested again whilst on bail they can add an extra charge. Bail does not usually require the payment of money sureties in Scotland. They may want to add extra conditions ― such as not to go within a certain distance of Faslane ― but should give you the opportunity to argue against them if you want to. Unless you have a history of breaking bail you should get bail for these sorts of charges.

When I am Released from the Police Station will I Hear Any More About It?

If you are released with a letter from the PF saying that he thinks you're guilty as sin, but that he isn't going to prosecute you on this occasion then that's the end of it. The police sometimes release people on an undertaking to come back to court on a specified day within the next few days or weeks. They will ask you to sign this and give you a copy. If you sign then it's an extra offence not to turn up on the day in question (note: you don't have to sign if you don't want to ― if you don't they still have to either release you or take you to court on the day after the initial arrest). They can also give you a citation on release, which is a letter saying you have to come to court but which also have the complaint, info about legal aid and a form allowing you to plead by post. If you are released without any paperwork (probably the most likely option given the numbers involved on this occasion) then you may receive a citation (to come to court) or a fixed penalty fine in the post up to a year later.

If you do get prosecuted, there is further resources and a detailed briefing covering the process available. Please let the Legal Working Group know on legalworkinggroup@faslane365.org or 07768 312678.

Legal Support

Unlike the autonomous blockades throughout the year we are providing a slightly more centralised legal support structure. It will be essentially the same structure, except that we will be providing the Trackers role centrally. If you are bringing a group straight to the gates then please download the Bust Card and make sure everyone has one (see also registration info). We will have Legal Observers at the gates but affinity groups with self-contained plans should have their own.

Legal Support

Make sure that everyone in your group has filled in a legal support form and has a Bust Card ― including those that are not planning to risk arrest. These will be available at the Glasgow venues, on the buses and at the gates of Faslane. If you are coming directly to the base you can download them from the website at www.faslane365.org/1oct/legal or contact us and we will e-mail or post you a form to copy. Please hand the completed forms in to the registration tables at Glasgow venues or Faslane.

We will co-ordinate Legal Support centrally. We will collect all the legal support forms and track people who have been arrested including confirming addresses to the police. We will find out which police stations people are being held in, when they are due to be released and will co-ordinate lifts to get them back to a Anderston Kelvingrove Church in Glasgow (directions).
Each affinity group should have their own legal observers whose main role is getting the names of people being arrested. They can also note down:

• Is a warning given? Who by? At what time?
• Are people being cut out of lock-ons? Who by? How long does it take? Are the police being careful?
• Is there traffic actually present which is being stopped? Is it just base traffic or is there local traffic also held up? Can through traffic get past?

When the arrests from your group have finished give a list of the names to the Legal support co-ordinator (wearing a tabard) at your gate. (or if for some reason this is not possible phone them in yourself)

The legal support office will track people and during the evening there will be information available at Anderston Kelvingrove about which police stations people are being held at.

We will co-ordinate minibuses to pick people up from police stations and bring them to Anderston Kelvingrove. If you are coming up by minibus please consider having an extra driver so you can help with pick-ups (and let us know in advance if you can). If you are coming and want to help with a support role and could drive a minibus please get in touch.

Media Support

Each group should have a media person or task group to work on getting local and specialist media coverage. If possible have someone back home co-ordinating and making the contacts with local media a week before, then a few days before and on the day after having gotten an account of the action, including photos from your media person at Faslane. Media people should find out deadlines and try to arrange radio interviews before, on the day or upon return. It's also possible to get regional TV stations to cover your group by letting them know in advance. People may want to write their own story, e.g. “Why I am going to risk arrest in Scotland”, and submit to local paper, with their media person making contact and promoting coverage.

The media person can already have the bones of a press release prepared ahead of time with quotes from members of the action group, and their details. This can incorporate brief biographical information indicating age, standing in the community (such as professional position or any membership in community organizations) which will appeal to local journalists' need for an angle.

There will be limited facilities for uploading photos, use of media laptop for writing press releases and wireless access on the Faslane 365 Bus at Faslane Peace Camp. Try and bring your own wireless enabled laptop with a charged battery and card reader. Try to have the draft press release already composed ahead of time, with a few blanks to be filled in as indicated above. This can then be emailed out with a few good photos to your media person at home who can then send on to media outlets. Alternatively be prepared with email addresses and phone numbers of local media, send out press release and call from your charged mobile from Faslane (Vodafone works here) on the day.

The Faslane 365 Steering Group will coordinate, as far as possible, national media coverage, connecting reporters with a diversity of people from the groups. Please indicate on your registration form if you are willing to speak to press, especially if you have experience and a penchant for doing so. If you need help with any of this or have questions the F365 media team will try to help ― contact Brian (brian at faslane365 dot org or 07768 312676) or Adam (adam at faslane365 dot org)

For more details on dealing with media including sample press releases see the Getting your message out section of the Faslane 365 Resource Pack

Welfare

People not risking arrest can also take care of practical support for people who have been arrested such as looking after their belongings. Your group might have someone who keeps up your morale by providing water or hot drinks, chocolate, massages, and encouragement. Remember that other supporters need looking after too!

Through affinity groups, large numbers of people at the blockade can make fast decisions if circumstances change. In your affinity group you can decide very quickly whether to move from one gate if it looks as if the police are re-opening another gate. Work out in advance who will facilitate a quick consensus decision if it is needed.