Greenham Women

1. The police were prepared for much larger numbers. They removed blockaders as quickly as possible, with or without warnings or going through proper arrest procedures, although it appears that they improved their techniques with some of the later arrests.
   

Chester Chronicle 17th November

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We had intended to start blockading after 7.30 when the shift change at the base increases the volume of traffic wanting to get in. However, with anarchistic women the best laid plans can go astray. Two women suddenly decided to kick off at 7.20, by sitting down on the roundabout. At that point (and not wanting them to become isolated) we made individual choices about what to do. Some women chose to sit down in front of the gate immediately. Others waited until the traffic started moving again, and then found a section of the road near the gate where the police were thin on the ground and laid down. Others waited even longer and then made their moves, which apparently surprised the police who thought we'd finished. The police were very keyed up and seemed to have instructions to arrest immediately, so some women were arrested crossing or dancing on the road, without being given time to move. In each case, traffic was blocked for a relatively short period of time, though the radio reported that these serial mini-blockades had backed traffic up for over an hour (compounded by the fact that they took place during what passes for the morning rush hour at the base).

Women remaining at the North Gate had kept up a strong presence throughout October 2 and 3, with groups knitting, singing, doing ceilidhs, planning actions, and holding workshops on various topics, including Palestine and international Women in Black. They had continued to test the police by periodically appearing to head for the road, etc.

It was pouring heavily with rain when the first few women arrived at 8.00 am on Sunday, so to begin with we set up gazebos on either side of the North Gate and decorated the fence with banners, photographs, placards and ribbons in the Suffragette colours. There was an enormous and jittery police presence, well over a hundred at the gate and police vans parked opposite the Faslane cemetery, around 100 yards past the North Gate. The police were anxious, wanting to know how many more women were expected. We played with them, keeping them guessing about numbers and whether some women might be going to the South Gate or even Coulport.

3 October 2006

Dear Madam

CASE AGAINST YOU

You have been reported to me for allegedly committing the following offence(s):

(1) Brach of the Peace on 02 October 2006 at A814 North Entrance HMNB Clyde, Faslane.

The Guardian

Altogether round 80-90 women took part in blockades and visibility actions at the Faslane nuclear base from Sunday October 1st to Tuesday October 3rd, making links and opposing Trident at the start of Faslane 365. Thirteen women were arrested on the second day, as Greenham women combined with Women in Black to keep a highly visible presence at the North Gate for three days. In addition to women from all over Britain, there was participation from abroad, including six women from Women in Black Belgium, France and Palestine, and a member of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom from the United States.