Kids arrested in nuclear protest

10:46am Wednesday 15th November 2006

FOUR Pembrokeshire teenagers have been arrested during the blockade of a Scottish nuclear base.

Josh Coles-Riley aged 17, his sister Georgia aged 15, and Naomi Proszynska and Hannah Chester, both aged 14, were arrested for breach of the peace during a protest against plans to replace the Trident submarine-launched nuclear missile system.

The group from Haverfordwest, Narberth and Pendine, travelled to Clyde Naval Base in Faslane, 25 miles north of Glasgow, on Sunday.

They joined a 70-strong protest and were taken into custody on Monday afternoon. The three girls were immediately released without charge, but Josh was held overnight.

As the Western Telegraph went to press the group was waiting to hear if Josh will have to appear in court.

Prior to his arrest, Josh said: "My sister found out about the plans to replace Trident at the massive cost of up to £75billion.

"Being pacifists we wanted to protest and started a peace group, Young People for Peace, and we feel that to do nothing would be unacceptable.

"We feel that Trident is an unlawful weapon designed to cause human suffering on an unimaginable scale, far worse than Hiroshima and Nagasaki."

The Tasker Milward School pupil added: "Ours is part of a year-long blockade of the base. We are just hoping to raise the profile because the government hasn't been talking about this and we want people to know what is being done with many billions of pounds of tax payers' money."

Also taking part in the protest was Jill Evans, Plaid Cymru Member of European Parliament for Wales.

She said: "Our demand is that Trident be taken out of deployment and the government should make a timetable for dismantling the weapons, together with a commitment not to develop any new nuclear weapons."

The MOD said no firm decision has been taken on a replacement for Trident.

Parents of the teenagers have backed their children's protest in Scotland.

Frederica Riley, Josh and Georgia's mum, said: "I am immensely proud of them, but I am also concerned for them, sticking their heads over the parapet in this way.

"I hope that other young people realise they have the power to change things.

"It is important to emphasise that this was entirely their own instigation, but they are my children and I support them."

William Chester, Hannah's dad, said: "Developing a new missile is all about money. I sometimes go on protests myself. I back them 100%."

Do you support the protesters? E-mail lee.day@gwent-wales.co.uk