TILTING AT TRIDENT – the Faslane Academic Blockade, June 2007 , by Jay Ginn

It makes a change from windmills…..
About 40 academics from several countries gathered outside the north gate of Faslane Base on the Clyde to hold a conference on Trident and to blockade the base. Surrounded by the magnificent scenery of lochs and mountains, our makeshift conference hall was a barricaded corner of pavement with a few rocks to sit on and a small ‘audience’ of police guarding the gate.

Microphones were needed by the speakers, due to the surprising amount of traffic – cars, lorries and juggernauts – entering and leaving the base. Papers considered public views on Trident, the employment effects of cancellation and a feminist critique, as well as issues of ethics, security, deterrence and academic freedom (for papers see www.faslane365.org/en/academics_and_scholars/). The police, who have become accustomed over the past nine months to the daily blockades, seemed to be listening to the sociological analyses with interest, although it’s just possible they were checking for terror conspiracies. Throughout the day, an artist made lightning ink sketches of participants. Every so often we dispersed into ‘seminar groups’ on grass verges, a tactic planned to disguise our eventual movement to blockade the gate, towards the end of the conference.

Members of the Faslane Peace Camp, including Angie Zelter, provided magnificent support by organising mugs, tea, coffee, milk and boiling water, and organisers had brought hot lentil soup and bread for lunch. Like the police, permanent peace campers have had lots of practice in the routines of blockading, including directing us to the best bushes to pee in and rapidly erecting a shelter when it rained.

At around 4pm, we converged on the road, sitting down and blocking the gate. Calmly, even wearily, the police organised our removal, telling each person they could leave or be arrested. Fourteen remained and were arrested, those going limp being carried by four police while those agreeing to walk were led by two police. Two hired vans took us to a nearby mobile unit where we were charged with Breach of the Peace (sic) and had our photos and personal details taken.

One van then went to Dumbarton police station, the other to Clydebank, near Glasgow, arriving 6pm. Here, efficient policing broke down. Police left the van for a few minutes, locking us in with the only set of keys in the ignition. On their return, they asked us, in some embarrassment, to unlock the van and give them the keys. The temptation to drive away was strong, but several people felt sorry for the police and helped them out. Inside the station, we were searched and relieved of all our property except a book each. We were then locked in cells, some singly, some in a threesome; twosomes are not allowed, perhaps in case one should murder the other, a particularly unlikely eventuality, we thought, among non-violent female peaceniks. One of my cell companions, a sociology professor, noted that the single lidless toilet and other aspects of our imprisonment constituted some kind of degradation ritual. Initially we had only one mattress between us and were very glad when two more, plus blankets, were provided. I, as the old lag, tried to predict and explain events but, this being Scotland, I was wrong on most counts. However, I did remark that I wouldn’t put it past police to wake us up at 3am for fingerprinting and – bingo! But instead of having each fingertip pressed into an inkpad, then rolled onto paper, our fingers were placed on a smart new scanning machine for recording. The process was less messy but took longer because the machine had its own method of non-violent resistance. It repeatedly beeped in protest so that scanning had to be redone several times to record the data.

Sleeping with the light on was strange but at least we could read if not sleepy. Police said ‘we have to check you every hour’, presumably in case we tried to escape through the ceiling window 20 foot above us. We had no means of telling the time, so had to guess. At last, daylight and breakfast came. This was sausages, hash brown and black pudding, with a veggie alternative that looked identical. Tea was routinely sugared unless we yelled ‘No sugar!’ No wonder there are regional health inequalities if this is the Scottish diet. We expected to be released soon, either on bail to appear in court later or with a written warning for first offences. But as the hours dragged on, we waited anxiously, using the time to practice yoga and put the world to rights. After lunch, a policewoman was delighted to tell us ‘the letters are on their way and you’ll be released soon’ but we still had to wait until 4pm. The delay was partly because the Procurator Fiscal had to have the letters translated into Swedish, Italian and other languages for academics from abroad, a legal requirement in spite of our colleagues’ perfect English.

There was much hugging and rejoicing as the 14 arrestees were reunited and driven back to Glasgow by supporters. One person was bailed to appear in court, due to taking part in previous blockades. Did our conference blockade do any good? It’s hard to know, but the Greenham Common camp succeeded in ousting the cruise missiles, so we can hope. And the papers from this and the January earlier Faslane Academic Blockade will be edited into a book. An anniversary Big Blockade, to include all the many blockading groups, is planned for Oct 1st. All welcome!