Trident Ploughshares Chronology

Trident Ploughshares Chronology: 1996 – 2019

8^th July 1996

International Court of Justice, Advisory Opinion on the legality of nuclear weapons. The ICJ could find no circumstance in which the threat or use of nuclear weapons would be lawful (para 94).

The ICJ also stated that the threat or use of nuclear weapons is generally contrary to International Humanitarian Law (para 105.2E).

1997

1^st June 1997

Angie Zelter sends out an open letter outlining the TP2000 campaign to around 100 people who she thought might be interested.

Autumn 1997

Preparation time for the campaign. During this time, contents of non- violence and safety workshops were finalised and the first edition of the “Tridenting It” Handbook was written.

1998

March 1998

TP Core Group send an open letter to the Prime Minister Tony Blair, stating that TP would not begin their actions until August 11^th, to allow time for dialogue and the Government’s response to the campaign. (A final plea was also sent on the 31^st July to Tony Blair, just prior to the start of the camp)

April 1998

Planning weekend involving representatives from affinity groups. This marked the first arrangements being made to move into the active side of the campaign. The weekend took place at Peaton Wood just 500 yards from the warhead depot at RNAD Coulport. Peaton Wood belonged to peace activist Georgina Smith and became the regular home for TP camps in Scotland.

2^nd May 1998

Simultaneous launch of the campaign in Hiroshima, Gent, Gothenberg, London and Edinburgh. 62 people had signed the pledge to Prevent Nuclear Crime at this point, and their names were unfurled on a banner in Edinburgh.

11^th – 25^th August 1998

The first 2 week TP disarmament camp. 200 or so campers, and 12 different nationalities were present. Arrests reached over 100, and 9 activists ended up on remand. Tens of cases were being heard in Helensburgh District Court. Security at the bases was constantly breached during the camp. Actions included fence cutting, blockading, and more than one swimming action, whereby activists came within close proximity to a Trident sub, with the aim of carrying out a disarmament action.

15^th August 1998

Rally at Faslane attended by around 300 people and organised by Scottish CND.

16^th August 1998

A mass action with blockading and fence cutting at RNAD Coulport, and another trespass into Faslane.

18^th August 1998

Katri, Krista and Rick from the Titanic Trident affinity group swam to within 10 metres of a berthed submarine before being spotted.

24^th August 1998

Krista and Katri repeated the swim, getting even nearer.

13^th September 1998

3 Swedish activists were arrested within the perimeter fence of VSEL Barrow on suspicion of going equipped to commit criminal damage. One of the three had begun to dismantle equipment outside the “Devonshire Hall”, the “shed” in which HMS Vengeance, the fourth and final British Trident submarine, was being constructed. Vengeance was due to be launched soon. Calling themselves “Bread Not Bombs ploughshares”, the 3 carried with them household hammers, a group statement and individual statements. They had been intending to enter the “Devonshire Hall” and disarm the Trident submarine.

19^th September 1998

Fourth Trident Submarine is completed and launched

20^th September 1998

Women disarmers punished at HMP Cornton Vale and one of them, Angie Zelter, was assaulted by prison officers.

22^nd September 1998

Police investigate abuse of Ploughshares prisoners at Cornton Vale.

September 1998

The first of many TP trials begin at Helensburgh District Court.

13^th November 1998

Scottish church leaders take part in a weekend of prayer and direct action against Trident.

14^th November 1998

TP activists lock up MoD building in Glasgow.

1999

1^st February 1999

Rosie James and Rachel Wenham of the Aldermaston Women Trash Trident affinity group, swam to and boarded the Trident submarine, HMS Vengeance. They painted slogans on the sub, damaged test equipment on the conning tower and draped banners. Three other women went to support the arrested swimmers at the police station, but were also arrested. All 5 women were accused of £25,000 of criminal damage, but at the last minute before the start of the trial the Prosecution revised this amount to £110,000 worth of damages.

15^th February 1999

One day blockade of Faslane. 41 arrests and considerable disruption.

14^th – 17^th May 1999

Peaton Wood Camp. Activists were encouraged by the strong support in Scotland, whereby a Teletext poll had found 85% reject nuclear weapons in Scotland and the Church of Scotland Assembly had unanimously stated it’s opposition to nuclear weapons. 16 arrests during camp, making a total of 200 arrests.

19^th – 30^th May 1999

TP members joined with 500 other international activists walking from The Hague to the NATO HQ in Brussels in protest against NATO’s illegal nuclear weapons policy. “Confronting NATO with the illegality of its own nuclear war plans. Peacefully, openly and non-violently,” (Brian Quail).

8^th June 1999

Ulla Roder, Ellen Moxley and Angie Zelter boarded the floating laboratory “Maytime” on Loch Goil. The laboratory was concerned with maintaining Trident’s invisibility from surveillance whilst underwater. The women disarmed the lab by emptying it’s contents into the loch. They spent 5 months on remand in HMP Cornton Vale. They faced a £100,000 theft and damage charge.

10^th – 24^th August 1999

Peaton Wood two-week TP summer camp. Blockading, swimming actions, pernicious paddling action.

17^th August 1999

TP activists entered the compound of a nuclear weapons submarine testing station at Cove, on Loch Long, and painted peace messages on the exterior of the building and on the compound tarmac.

17^th August 1999

3 activists were held when they obstructed the gateway of Coulport. Later three members of the Aldermaston Women Trash Trident group were taken from Loch Long by MoD police after entering Coulport through shallow water at low tide. They displayed a banner stating: “Trident is Illegal / Disarm it Now”.

19^th August 1999

TP’ers Kirsty Gathergood, Sylvia Boyes, Josje Snoek and Clive Fudge, were arrested at the perimeter fence of Faslane en route to the docking bays where the Trident nuclear weapon submarines are berthed. They were charged with breaching bye-laws affecting the base.

19^th August 1999

TP members Marcus Armstrong and Louise James were arrested inside the high security area of Faslane where the Trident submarines are berthed at Faslane. They were negotiating the floating barrier into the high security area, when the intruder alarm sounded. They were arrested while swimming the final stretch of water towards the Trident submarine. They were both charged with breaching bye-laws affecting the base.

29^th August 1999

Sylvia Boyes and Anne Scholz swam to the south of the perimeter of Faslane in the dark and after 2 hours in the water, were intercepted swimming under the jetties where the Polaris submarines were previously berthed. Anne had planned to lock herself onto the submarine and Sylvia had a hammer to use on the exterior of the sub, and spray paint to use on the computers inside the submarine.

3^rd September 1999

Helen John painted slogans on the High Court and on the visitor’s centre for the new Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh. The slogans were concerned with the UK’s nuclear crime, and also the UK’s illegal use of depleted uranium in Iraq and the UK’s support for sanctions against Iraq. On the 15^th September, Helen repeated the action, but this time the slogans “No star wars”, “Ban trident” and “Ban Depleted Uranium Weapons” were painted 18” high on the St. Stephens’s entrance to the House of Commons. Helen stated that “When our senior politicians and our courts fail us, it is the duty of all law-abiding citizens to prevent crimes committed in our name.” A jury found her guilty on 18/12/99, but they handed the judge a note condoning Helen’s actions, and considering her to be justified in what she had done.

27^th September – 20^th October1999

Trial for the Maytime action at Greenock Sheriff Court. The trial began on the 27^th September. On the 28^th, the 15 jurors were chosen and sworn in, and the prosecution started to present their evidence.

13^th October 1999

TP activists and residents of Faslane Peace Camp hung banners above the doorway of Delta House, headquarters of the Labour Party in Scotland. The banners included the following quotes, “Scottish New Labour Party Colluding with Nuclear Death” and “Free the Loch Goil Three”.

20^th October 1999

Sheriff Margaret Gimblett acquitted the “Trident Three” activists, who had disarmed the Trident barge Maytime. She acquitted them on the grounds that their action was justified since Trident presented an active threat that was illegal under international law, and that they were acting as global citizens, preventing nuclear crime. This was the first British judge and jury to hear and accept a defence of the illegality of Trident nuclear weapons based on international law. The Lord Advocate’s Reference followed on from the trial.

11^th – 14^th November 1999

Camp at Peaton Wood. There was a fresh effort to inform military and civilian personnel involved with the operation of Trident that International Law will support them if they follow their conscience and abandon their “duties”. Actions included a blockade of all main gates at RNAD Coulport involving 3 women locking themselves to three separate buses at one gate. Activists also put a placard on a Trident-related communications mast and others were arrested for breach of military bye-laws for being too near the perimeter fence.

Activists handed in a letter to the officer in charge of the bases, Rear- Admiral Gregory, reminding him of the Greenock ruling and advising him that he is putting his personnel: “in an unenviable position by inciting them to engage in criminal and immoral activities.”

23^rd November 1999

Sylvia Boyes and River were arrested inside the dockyard at Barrow. They had intended to swim across the dock with the intention of carrying out a disarmament action on HMS Vengeance. They were filmed by BBC1’s Everyman team. They were charged with conspiracy to commit criminal damage. Sylvia was released on the 2^nd December having agreed to bail conditions, but River refused bail conditions, which required him to stay 10 miles away from any nuclear weapons base. He pointed out that the UK is crammed with nuclear weapons facilities, and stated that he would only accept the conditions if nuclear warheads stayed at least 10 miles away from Vengeance.

29^th November 1999

Affinity group Local Heroes put in a claim to the District Court that the European Convention on Human Rights gave them the right to intervene peacefully and non-violently when they knew a war crime was being committed. Alan Wilkie made a similar plea when defending himself on a breach of the peace charge. Pamela Smith on 8/12/99 challenged the concept of Breach of the Peace, as it did not specify the limits of acceptable behaviour. She took her case to appeal.

2000

24^th January 2000

The Lord Advocate lodged the official referral papers to the Scottish High Court of the Justiciary regarding the acquittal of the Trident Three.

25^th January 2000

At Helensburgh District Court, the JP rejects devolution plea from Pamela Smith without explanation. Pamela takes this to appeal arguing that the charge against her of a Breach of the Peace was unlawful in contravening the European Convention on Human Rights. As Pamela said, “Breach of the peace has been used indiscriminately to silence protest.”

14^th February 2000

Blockade of Faslane, jointly organised with Scottish CND. 185 arrests including MEP’s, MSP’s, and 10 Scottish church ministers.

4^th April 2000

First hearing to determine the procedure for answering four questions posed by the Lord Advocate’s Reference, which was lodged following the acquittal of the Trident Three. Campaigners hoped that the Scottish judiciary would use this opportunity to take an unbiased look at the question of the illegality of Trident. This was sadly not the case, and, as summed up by Angie Zelter, “The questions presently before the court suit the purposes of the Government and not the interests of the people.”

17^th April 2000

TP 7 day camp at AWE Aldermaston.

22^nd May 2000

Blockade at AWE Aldermaston. 46 arrests. 3 gates simultaneously blocked and traffic brought to a standstill for 45 mins.

1^st August 2000

Two-week TP camp starts with a blockade of Faslane base. The beginning of the blockade was marked by the arrival of 30 walkers who had walked from AWE Aldermaston to Faslane. They carried with them a flame which was first ignited in the flames of Hiroshima 55 years before. A small ceremony was held when the walkers arrived. This was followed by a 2 hour effective blockade. Sadly, the Chief Constable of Strathclyde Police did not go along with supporting activists in upholding the law, as suggested in a letter to him from TP2000 just prior to the blockade. The letter suggested that the police should focus on upholding the law by supporting activists to go about maximising disruption to the illegal work at the base. At the very least, the letter suggests that the police should not arrest non-violent peaceful activists for blockading. There were nevertheless 69 arrests.

2^nd August 2000

Two climbers who had blockaded the south gate on the 1^st August with a 15 foot hight tripod made out of scaffolding poles, voluntarily came down and were arrested. They had been blocking the south gate for 13 hours. Zoe Weir was also arrested for climbing Coulport’s fence and getting several hundred yards inside the base. Earlier during the camp, Ulla Roder and Marcus Armstrong were arrested having been discovered by chance after swimming into the main security area of the base, whereby they got through the boom and up to the shiplift.

9^th August 2000

Nagasaki Day is marked by three activists using an inflatable dingy to get onto the top secret explosives handling jetty at Coulport. Ulla Roder jumped into the water near the jetty in the protected area. Zoe Weir climbed onto a ladder at the side of the jetty, while Phill Jones steered the dingy alongside. The boat was then rammed by an MoD police inflatable and started sinking. Shortly after, Katri Silvonen and Tim Coleman were arrested for cutting several large holes in Faslane perimeter fence. During the two weeks of intense activity at the camp, there were 27 separate actions and 161 arrests.

19^th September 2000

Rosie and Rachel were found Not Guilty on one charge of criminal damage relating to them spraying peace slogans on HMS Vengeance. The jury was not able to decide on the other charge relating to damage to testing equipment on the conning tower.

20^th September 2000

The jury was discharged after being unable to reach a verdict on the second count of criminal damage in Rosie and Rachel’s court case.

9^th October 2000

The Lord Advocate’s Reference (LAR), High Court Hearing begins. The Crown begins to put forward it’s case that the Trident Three women did not have an adequate defence with which to be acquitted for the charge of malicious damage.

3^rd November 2000

Catholic priest Martin Newell and Dutch Catholic Worker, Susan van der Hijden, calling themselves ’Jubilee Ploughshares 2000’, entered RAF Wittering base in Cambridgeshire. They entered a transport hangar in order to enact the biblical prophecy; ’They shall beat their swords into ploughshares’, by disabling the Nuclear Weapons Convoy trucks which transport nuclear warheads between AWE Burghfield, Berkshire and RNAD Coulport, Scotland.

The Jubilee Ploughshares 2000 pair set out to damage this essential part of the Trident system. They were both remanded. The charge against them was not decided till 7^th December, when it was deemed to be “burglary with intent to cause criminal damage”. The damage to the trucks was at this time estimated at being £32,000.

13^th November 2000

Surprise Faslane Peace Camp action involving TP’ers. Both gates blocked. The south gate was blocked for four hours before the people locked on were cut out of their lock-ons by the police. North gate was blocked by two 18 foot high tripods. Ward in one tripod stayed there for 16 hours, Meadow stayed up the tripod 25 and a half hours. The tripoders were denied food and water and there was an exclusion zone put around the tripods. A third tripoder managed to climb down and gave the police the slip.

19^th November 2000

Trident warhead convoy halted twice in Scotland by activists

18^th December 2000

Ulla Roder broke into Faslane and spent several hours in the north end of the Faslane complex. She intended to cut through the internal fence around the Trident area.

2001

9^th January 2001

Trial begins of River and Sylvia, facing the charge of conspiracy to commit criminal damage at Manchester Crown Court (see 23/11/1999).

18^th January 2001

The jury in Sylvia and River’s case above at Manchester Crown Court were unable to reach a unanimous verdict and so were asked to reach a majority verdict. Following this, River and Sylvia were found Not Guilty.

19^th January 2001

Ulla Roder and Ian Thomson arrested at RNAD Coulport for cutting through the fence in order to get into the base.

26^th January 2001

Trident Ploughshares send letter to the Chief Constable of Strathclyde Police, John Orr urging him not to arrest people blockading the base during the upcoming blockade on the 12^th February 2001. The letter stated that given that “the prima facie evidence for Trident’s unlawfulness was now ever more firmly in the public domain”, there was even less excuse than previously for failing to review its current policy of impeding and arresting people who are acting to uphold the law through blockading, or failing to carry out some investigations on its own behalf.

12^th February 2001

At least 350 arrests were made of people taking part in a blockade at Faslane. As well as many activists coming from Scotland, people came from England, Wales, Ireland, Finland, Denmark, Germany, Spain, South Korea, Belgium, Holland, Australia and Columbia, to take part. A number of ministers of religion, including Norman Shanks, leader of the Iona Community, were arrested. Author Alisdair Gray and Ian Hamilton Q.C. were also amongst those arrested. Actors Sir Sean Connery and Emma Thompson were amongst those expressing their backing for the blockaders.

27^th March 2001

Activist Ian Thomson is given his fifth jail sentence for direct action against the UK’s Trident nuclear weapon system. Ian was in court for failing to pay a fine imposed for an anti-Trident action in which he cut the perimeter fence at RNAD Coulport. Ian told the JP that he was refusing on principle to pay the fine and added: “With respect to the Court, I have to say that hell will freeze over before I pay it.”

28^th March 2001

A System 3 opinion poll commissioned by Scottish CND showed that 51% of those questioned in Scotland supported the action taken by people who took part in a blockade of Faslane the month before. Only 24% of those questioned in the poll were opposed to the action. The question was part of a poll of 977 adults on nuclear weapon issues conducted between 22^nd February and 4^th March by NFO System Three.

30^th March 2001

On this day the High Court of Justiciary in Edinburgh gave the long-awaited for High Court’s judgement on the Lord Advocate’s Reference relating to the trial and acquittal of the “Trident Three”. Sadly, the High Court failed to take the opportunity to challenge the illegality of the UK’s Trident nuclear weapon system. It answered in the negative four questions set by the Lord Advocate in relation to the acquittal of the “Trident Three” by Sheriff Margaret Gimblett, and in so doing, it undermined the reasoning of the Sheriff in making the original acquittal. A clear example of the lack of reasoning in the document, highlighted by TP activists, is the claim that the question of Trident’s legality can only be considered in a time of war. Common sense demands that if we are concerned at all about the legality of our weapons, then it’s imperative that we examine that question as we prepare and deploy them – not wait until it is too late.

5^th April 2001

During a crowded First Minister’s question time at the Scottish Parliament, 12 members of TP dramatically interrupted normal business by dropping a banner and demanding that the Parliament face up to the Trident question and debate it. They held up business for about 15 mins before they were removed by police. 11 were arrested and charged.

On 6^th February 2002, one of the 11 activists facing charges following this action was due to go to trial, but was told at court by the PF that he was accepting her plea of not guilty since so many of the other protesters had already been acquitted on the same charges. He added that her actions did not in his view constitute a breach of the peace. Of the eleven people charged, one was found guilty.

7^th April 2001

16 activists arrested at Faslane, as around 150 campaigners gathered at the base to restate the moral and legal case against Trident, and to continue the campaign of direct action despite the total failure of the Scottish High Court. There were some short speeches, and meanwhile activists were cutting through the perimeter fence of the base. Some succeeded in getting inside, setting off the “bandit” alarm. Angie Zelter also began to cut the fence in full view of the police and the crowd. It took the police some time to arrest her. The police van she was put in was held up for an hour as campaigners crowded in front of it.

27^th April 2001

Ulla Roder spray painted HMS Vengeance, while it was berthed in its special high security berth at Faslane. Ulla swam inside the Trident berths, reached HMS Vanguard and prepared to remove some of the special tiles on the sub’s hull, which help the sub remain undetected by enemy craft. She was immediately challenged by a guard, who pointed a gun at her and demanded that she leave the boat alone. Ulla then instead spray-painted in cellulose letters a metre high the word “USELESS” on the hull. She was arrested and taken into custody and charged with malicious damage (for the spray-painting), breach of the by-laws, and for being inside a prohibited area without authorisation. Although activists have on a number of occasions swum close to the Trident subs, this is the first time that someone had reached a Trident sub in Faslane, a feat the MOD police claimed was impossible.

11^th May 2001

Week of action at Aldermaston. 8 arrests for cutting into the high security site, and all were charged with criminal damage.

On 9th January 2002, three of the TP activists appeared in Newbury Magistrates on charges of cutting down three panels of fence at AWE Aldermaston. A strong case was made of the ongoing, ever-present hazards to health and property which are caused by the work at AWE. For example, Dr. Chris Busby presented expert evidence. His research had shown that there were high incidences of childhood leukemia around Aldermaston, at a rate of three times the national average, as well as concentrations of plutonium in the soil. Nevertheless, at the end, a verdict of guilty was given to the charge of criminal damage. However, a sentence of 18 months conditional discharge was made, with the defendants each ordered to pay £270 compensation and costs.

12^th May 2001

12 campaigners climbed over, or otherwise passed the perimeter fence in order to explore the site. They were escorted off site by police without charge.

13^th May 2001

Activists held a fence climbing workshop in full view of police and put their new skills into action that night. 5 more arrests were made as activists began playing football inside the high security site. Others climbed back out again.

14^th May 2001

TVP (Thames Valley Police) invoked Section 14 of the Public Order Act which is designed to restrict the right to protest in cases of “serious disorder”. TVP used this on activists at the TP camp outside Aldermaston. This was early in the morning when campaigners were planning on demonstrating outside the main gates. 51 arrests were made. “This act was used merely to remove members of TP and the Aldermaston Women’s Campaign from the area and to prevent a demonstration at the UK bomb factory.” said a spokesperson. Nevertheless, for five hours the activists defied the terms of Section 14 orders served on them, and blockaded AWE Aldermaston, holding up workers traffic entering the site.

22^nd May 2001

Two peace activists, Helen John and Anne Lee, who in 2000 took part in a direct disarmament action against a UK Star Wars communications facility, were given heavy jail sentences after being found guilty of criminal damage. Angie Zelter did not attend court. The action was a joint action between TP and Menwith Hill Women’s Peace Campaign.

25^th May 2001

The two Jubilee Ploughshares activists were found guilty on all charges against them. Although sentenced to twelve months in prison, they were able to walk free since they had already served at least half that time on remand.

1^st June 2001

Princess Anne was at Faslane to celebrate 100 years of the Royal Navy’s Submarine Service and was present for a parade of the Submarine Service Queen’s Colour. To try to disrupt proceedings, 2 TP activists tried to breach security at Faslane in order to highlight the illegality of the UK’s Trident nuclear arsenal. They broke into the oil fuel depot. A little later 2 residents of Faslane Peace Camp also broke in. All 4 were held and charged.

6^th June 2001

RNAD Coulport – a blockade of main gate causing workers traffic to tailback.

21^st June 2001

Activists including residents of Faslane Peace Camp and Trident Ploughshares activists, stop a nuclear warhead convoy on the Buchlyvie Road near Stirling. All 11 arrested were held overnight and bailed the next day not to enter within the Stirling county boundary except for their court appearances. The action was organised by Nukewatch, and aimed to draw attention to the grave risks these convoys, with their combination of high explosive and plutonium, bring to the communities they pass through. On 10^th January 2002, one of the activists, Ulla Roder, was found guilty and fined £150 for her part in stopping the convoy.

24^th June 2001

1 ½ hour long blockade of the construction gate at RNAD Coulport by 3 activists and a cast-iron tube delayed the departure of the convoy on it’s return journey to AWE Burghfield. As the lock-on got cleared by police, the convoy eased its way past.

1^st July 2001

“Trident on Trial. The case for people’s disarmament”, by Angie Zelter of TP was published on this day by Luath Press. The book is about, “…global citizenship in action, a story of people’s power and the right of individuals to prevent their state from committing very great wrongs”. (Angie Zelter). It tells of the “Trident Three” action on Loch Goil and their acquittal by Sheriff Gimblett, on the basis that they were acting as global citizens to prevent nuclear crime. It covers the Lord Advocate’s Reference in the High Court, which examined the legality of an individual state’s deployment of nuclear weapons. It also gives contributions from some of the many people and groups who pledged to prevent nuclear crime in peaceful, nonviolent and practical ways. It outlines the legal argument against Trident which many activists have relied upon in court.

27^th July – 11^th August 2001

Coulport Summer Camp. See below.

27^th July 2001

Sylvia Boyes was arrested when she refused to leave an area near the security fence at Coulport. She was charged with breaching bye-laws and released within a few hours.

30^th July 2001

10 people were arrested as TP activists blocked the main gate at Coulport.

31^st July 2001

3 TP’ers, Ulla Roder, Dave Rolestone and Gillian Sloan, attempted to enter protected waters around Faslane Base with a wooden raft this morning, causing a delay in the departure of a Trident submarine from Faslane. They were arrested by MoD Police in inflatables as the raft neared the protected waters around Faslane. Earlier the same morning, 2 activists attempted to cut through the fence into the base. Additionally, at morning shift change, 4 activists blockaded the Construction Gate at Coulport by locking themselves together, and a further three activists attempted to lock together at the Main Gate. All were arrested.

1^st August 2001

Late in the evening 6 people, in three groups of two, went to Coulport Naval Base. Two activists were detained outside the fence, and were held for four hours and later released without charge. Both other pairs managed to cut through the perimeter fence and enter the base, where they cut into the razor wire. One pair then climbed inside the razor wire where they lay for 6 hours until they were cut free by workers. The activists aimed to cut their way in and make a citizens arrest of the base commander for making preparations for war crimes.

3^rd August 2001

TP buzzed one the UK’s missile weapon submarines as it left the armaments depot at Coulport in Loch Long. Six swimmers and three activists in canoes spread themselves across the loch as the huge vessel slipped southward, well on the western side of the channel to avoid the swimmers. It had to change course again to avoid coming close to one of the canoeists.

4^th August 2001

Ten anti-nuclear groups signed the ’Helensburgh Treaty’, thought to be the first international treaty between campaigning organisations. The treaty is billed as ’a people’s treaty to disarm nuclear weapons’, and stems from a frustration felt by activists at the failure of governments to maintain their obligations under legally binding international treaties.

5^th August 2001

30 TP activists held an impromptu midnight carnival outside RNAD Coulport. The international group, remained at the gate for about three hours, enjoying the full moon with fire jugglers, musicians and singers. The group, whose ages ranged from 10 to 70, also chalked slogans on the road and ran about playing children’s games.

6^th August 2001

To mark Hiroshima Day, 2 TP activists, Rachel Remnant and Marcus Armstrong, swam into Faslane Base, under the security boom and to the side of one of the Trident submarines. The MOD have previously claimed that this was impossible. They were apprehended whilst painting “ILLEGAL” on the side of the submarine.

2 arrests were made as activists blockaded the base, attempting to prevent the morning shift entering the base.

There were three separate fence cutting actions at Faslane and Coulport, leading to nine arrests. Five of those involved at Faslane entered the base and remained at large for up to two hours.

There were 2 vigils. At one vigil, TP activists joined Peace Campers and Women in Black who were meeting at Kelvingrove Park, in Glasgow, in order to replace the plaque marking a commemorative tree planted by Hiroshima victims.

During the night of the 6^th, 6 activists, working in three teams of two, approached the high security fence at the Coulport. Two of them, were able to cut their way through the fence and it was six hours before the MoD police were able to apprehend them on the inside. The two were charged with cutting the perimeter fence, cutting through an alarm cable, breach of bylaws and breach of the peace.

8^th August 2001

At a “disco” action, Hanna, who was straight out of court, and another activist locked onto each other in front of the main gate. They were briefly arrested but were shortly de-arrested, and were at liberty again to rejoin the protest. The senior police officer present told the 2 that he was de-arresting them because he recognised their “right to peaceful protest”.

9^th August 2001

7 TP activists were arrested as they blockaded the main gate at Coulport in commemoration of those who died and suffered when the US dropped its second atom bomb, which fell on Nagasaki on this day in 1945.

11^th August 2001

TP activist Dave Rolstone swam across the Gareloch right into the high security area where Trident nuclear missile submarines are berthed. He negotiated the large boom which protects the Trident berths and swam undetected until he was about 40 metres from one of the Trident submarines. At this point he was spotted by three marines on the jetty. Dave could see the red glow of their infra-red night sights as they pointed their guns at him. Then the base alarm when off, followed by the announcement “Bandits in base, bandits in base!” A police inflatable boat picked him up and he was taken into custody.

4^th October 2001

Finally, Trident disarmers Rosie James and Rachel Wenham walk free as, once again, it was a hung jury regarding reaching a verdict over the charges against them of criminal damage. It was admitted by a Crown witness at the trial that their action had delayed HMS Vengeance for a month. Their defence was that they’d acted out of necessity due to the threat posed by the Trident nuclear weapon system.

4^th October 2001

TP achieves international recognition as one of the 4 winners of the Right Livelihood Award. The Right Livelihood Award honours the campaign as “a model of principled, transparent and non-violent direct action dedicated to rid the world of nuclear weapons. Their imaginative campaign highlights the illegality of these weapons.” The TP campaign is represented for the award by the action of the “Trident Three”.

Founded in 1980, The Right Livelihood Awards are presented annually in the Swedish parliament and are usually referred to as “Alternative Nobel Prizes”, having been introduced “to honour and support those offering practical and exemplary answers to the most urgent challenges facing us today.”

5^th October 2001

Ulla is sent to jail for 3 months after being found guilty on six counts for anti-Trident actions, and is recommended for deportation.

22^nd October 2001

OkBlok. Over 160 people were arrested at Faslane as 1,000 protesters shut down the main gates for over five hours. Those arrested included 2 Church of Scotland Ministers, 2 MSP’s and an MEP.

During the blockade, and whilst the base was on high alert, David Heller, of the For Mother Earth group in Belgium, cut through Faslane’s perimeter fence and reached a ’sentry box’ near the submarine berth.

17^th November 2001

50 Trident Ploughshares campaigners closed down Downing Street for an hour in order to draw attention to their claim that the deployment of Trident nuclear missiles means that UK government leaders are terrorist suspects. The campaigners handed in a letter to the Prime Minister stating how, “Your present ‘War on Terrorism’ has yet again highlighted to us and to the campaign, the terrorism which is implicit in our very possession of nuclear weapons.” They locked themselves with padlocks and chains to the gate that protects the street.

19^th November 2001

“War Crimes Inspectors” Close Rolls-Royce Office. TP campaigners visited the Rolls-Royce plc head offices in Buckingham Gate, London, looking for evidence of the company’s involvement in crimes against humanity related to the UK’s Trident nuclear weapons programme and the bombing of Afghanistan. One group of seven activists went in to interview workers and search files, whilst another group prevented access to the office and displayed a banner which read: “Rolls-Royce Profits from War Crimes”. They occupied the foyer for 90 minutes before being dragged away by security guards.

29^th November 2001

3 month prison sentence given to Jenny Gaiawyn for a breach of the peace charge for taking part in February’s mass blockade 2001. This sentence was considered an outrageous attack on Jenny’s human right to peaceful protest, which is enshrined in the European Convention of Human Rights. It also starkly reflected the inconsistencies of sentencing in Scottish Courts.

2002

14^th January 2002

TP warns that if Strathclyde Police continue with their controversial mass arrest policy at big blockades, then the tailback in cases in the court system will be close to gridlock. A three-day blockade of the Faslane base was looming, but the local courts were still struggling to respond to the 385 arrests made by the police the previous February.

15^th January 2002

Ulla Roder learned that the Home Office was not going to deport her from the UK. Ulla from Denmark, but at the time, living and campaigning in Scotland, had been recommended for deportation the previous October by a Sheriff at Dumbarton Sheriff Court, after being found guilty on six counts for anti-Trident actions. At the same court appearance last October, the same Sheriff had also sentenced Ulla to a prison sentence of 3 months.

3^rd February 2002

7 TP activists were arrested at Devonport naval dockyard in Plymouth during

a protest against the refitting of nuclear weapon submarine HMS Vanguard. Vanguard is the first Trident-carrying class submarine to come in for the overhaul. More than 300 activists protested as HMS Vanguard arrived at Devonport naval base in Plymouth for its refit. Helicopters circled overhead as Vanguard, flying a long white decommissioning pennant, was towed up the Tamar estuary. The refit includes the removal and replacement of the fuel rods which power its nuclear reactor. After an hour-long rally at Devonport Park, protesters marched to the dockyard under heavy police escort. The 7 TP activists, sat down in the roadway and blocked the dockyard’s Drake Gate. They were removed and charged with obstructing the highway. On 13^th August 2002 all 7 activists were found guilty in Plymouth Magistrates Court and were ordered to pay fines and costs averaging

around £200 for each defendant. Despite the court ban on mentioning nuclear issues, the defendants repeatedly referred to the local and global dangers of the UK’s Trident nuclear weapons system. Angie Zelter chose to be absent from the trial because she said that the justice offered by the court “could as well be dispensed by a computer.”

11^th – 13^th February 2002

3 day Block ‘n’ Roll at Faslane. Day 1 – over 110 arrests as all gates into the base are closed for three hours. During the morning everyone present was deeply moved by a minutes silence and a communion service led by church ministers and Scottish clergy held in remembrance of all victims of war and terror.

Day 2 – over 30 more peaceful arrests during a colourful day.

Day 3 – 29 further arrests bringing the total to 186 over three days including activists from 12 countries. A minibus load of senior Navy officials was stopped at the main gate when protestors locked themselves underneath and in front of it. Dave Rolestone was one of those who crawled underneath the vehicle. It took some time for police to remove him. The naval officers, including the husband of the Princess Royal, had to get out and go into the base on foot. Nora Barnes and her 8 week old baby son, Murray were arrested. Nora was charged with Breach of the Peace inside a police van by the gates and immediately released, as the Police had no facilities to take baby Murray into custody. Nora said, “I didn’t intend to get arrested today, but I just felt I had to do something as I stood there with Murray in my arms and thought of all the babies who would be murdered if Trident were ever used.”

14^th February 2002

Angie Zelter appeared in Helensburgh Court following a breach of the peace charge at Faslane the previous day. She told the magistrate that bringing charges of “disorderly conduct” against peaceful citizens was an abuse of process, and she made a formal submission to this end. She stated how the courts had consistently failed to take seriously the campaigners’ grave complaints about the crime being committed at Faslane. Respectable citizens were being accused of disorderly conduct and of breaching the peace, while the British state was continually engaged in bombing and institutionalised terrorism.

15^th February 2002

Ulla Roder was sent to HMP Cornton Vale on remand for five weeks after being presented with two options in regard to bail, both of which would breach her human rights. A condition of bail was to stay out of the Argyll and Bute local authority area. Ulla refused to accept or reject the condition and left it to the Magistrate to decide what to do. To accept bail would have meant she could not peacefully protest outside the Trident Naval bases or take part in campaign meetings or attend public court hearings.

19^th February 2002

TP activist Dr. Margaret Jones was sentenced to 40 days at Eastwood Park Prison for non-payment of fines relating to her peace activities.

26^th February 2002

In court, Brian Quail,when asked by the PF why he had laid down in the roadway, he said: “The question is not why was I lying down on the road at the gates to Faslane, but why weren’t you lying there with me?”

18^th March 2002

Protestors including TP activists halted a Trident nuclear weapons convoy for 30 minutes, amid allegations of rough and unprofessional behaviour on the part of Strathclyde Police. The convoy stop took place in the village of Balloch on the banks of Loch Lomond, when the convoy was making its way to RNAD Coulport, having travelled from AWE Burghfield on the 16th. Activists stopped the convoy by peacefully and calmly getting in front of it, underneath it, and on top of the vehicles carrying the warheads. 13 activists were arrested. Officers of the Strathclyde mobile ’V’ Division, which travels with the convoys through the Strathclyde and Central police areas, were seen to handle the protesters roughly, dragging some of them along the ground unnecessarily.

28th March 2002

TP activists Sylvia Boyes and Olivia Agate were charged with intent to cause criminal damage at US Fylingdales Ballistic Missile Early Warning Station in Yorkshire. They had been apprehended by MoD police as they reached the perimeter fence of the Fylingdales base.

At their jury trial at York Crown court on the 26th November 2002, the Prosecutor said that no lawful excuse existed, since no crime was being committed at Fylingdales. However, the Judge later allowed the jury to consider a defence of Lawful Excuse. Sylvia and Olivia both stressed how essential Fylingdales is to Trident, and it’s significance as an Early Warning System. Olivia explained how the final spur to act was the speech of Defence Minister Geoff Hoon in March, where he threatened to use Trident on Iraq, showing the imminent danger posed by the UK’s Trident system.

Their intention had been to cut through the fence and damage the radar arrays. They carried with them a pair of bolt-croppers, a hammer, a banner, and a statement which referred to the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. They were both found guilty on 29/11/02, and asked to pay court costs of £1210 each and were given a two-year conditional discharge.

10^th May 2002

4 TP activists peacefully sat down and blockaded the north gate at Faslane. The main gates were closed for 1 hour, from 9-10am when all four were arrested and charged with Breach of the Peace.

Around this time, Base workers at Faslane had been protesting themselves in opposition to the government’s privatisation plans for the running of the base. Workers said that safety will be compromised and jobs lost.

31^st May 2002

A Dumbarton sheriff dismissed the case of a TP activist. He said that the charge of “breach of the peace” had been completely re-shaped since the Smith versus Donnelly appeal. The Crown witnesses confirmed that Alan Wilkie’s action had not been flagrant and had not caused the degree of alarm or disturbance necessary to prove the complaint, in the now famous clarification given by the High Court in Smith V Donnelly 2001. The charge was dismissed.

6^th June 2002

2 TP activists Dr Margaret Jones and Councillor Ray Davies, cut down swathes of fencing of AWE Aldermaston in order to force the bomb factory to suspend its operations while the fencing was repaired and to prevent “nuclear crime”. They were charged with Criminal Damage and released on bail. They intended to plead Not Guilty with the defence of Lawful Excuse. On 25^th September 2002 their trial was postponed after the prosecution had failed to produce evidence that the nuclear bomb factory had ever been licensed to produce nuclear weapons. The barrister acting on behalf of the 2 activists, raised the issue that unless, under Section 48 of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act of 2001, possession or production of nuclear weapons needed to be authorised by the Secretary of State. The prosecution had failed to produce the relevant authorisation. At their trial, on the 1^st April 2003, it was argued that under the Prevention Of Terrorism Act, while the Navy may be exempt of the need to produce authorisation, because they are an arm of the State, Devonport Management Limited (Root & Brown subsidiary to Haliburton) are not exempt. They are a private company and no permission had been granted by the Secretary Of State for their part in handling nuclear weapons.

The two activists were found guilty of Criminal Damage without lawful excuse. It was argued, however, that there was lawful excuse with regard to preventing the greater crime of preventing the use of nuclear weapons under the Geneva Convention (which Geoff Hoon had contravened when he stated that Britain would be prepared to use nuclear weapons against Iraq in 2002).

12^th June 2002

On the 20th birthday of Faslane Peace Camp, ten activists were arrested inside the fence of Faslane. 5 activists were from Ceilidh Creatures TP affinity group. The activists, including a Finnish woman and an Australian man, cut their way into the base at the oil fuel depot. It was 6 ½ hours before the final activists were arrested.

On 26/3/03 during the trial of two of the activists involved, one said she had been impelled to take action at the base shortly after Geoff Hoon’s first threat to use Trident against Iraq, and when the danger of nuclear war between India and Pakistan was very real. She was found guilty and fined £150.

14^th – 18^th June 2002

Aldermaston TP Disarmament camp.

16^th June 2002

As news was breaking that the British government are covertly developing the next generation of illegal weapons of mass destruction, 2 TP activists Delyn Harris and Janet Kilburn, entered the AWE Aldermaston site. The Blair regime planned to build a new illegal nuclear bomb factory at Aldermaston, while telling all other non-nuclear states that they cannot have these weapons themselves. The development of such weapons is in direct contravention of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT – to which the UK is a signatory), the Geneva Convention and International Law. Activists vowed to do all they could to prevent the building of this planned development at the site. The 2 activists gained entry to the base through the perimeter fence before being arrested in what was both a practical act of disarmament and a symbolic protest against Britain’s nuclear policies.

Later on the Sunday, Juliet McBride interrupted a police briefing by scaling three fences and entering the MOD offices by the main front door completely undetected. She managed to duck under the arm of a guard and join the meeting, before a policeman wrapped her in a jacket and carried her out in front of the obviously shocked officers.

17^th June 2002

Both entrances to the west gate at AWE Aldermaston were blockaded from 6am, disrupting work at the base. Four were arrested for ‘obstruction of the highway’. In the morning, 2 TP activists gained entry to the base and remained undetected for an hour as they searched rooms and offices for information. Later in the day two more activists, Fr Martin Newell and Chris Gwyntopher entered the base as part of a citizens inspection of an illegal nuclear facility.

24th June 2002

A nuclear warhead convoy was stopped on Haul Road, A817 near Helensburgh by 2 TP activists who flagged the motorcycle outriders of the convoy down as they approached. The 2 were part of a group of 6 activists, 2 of whom had tried to hide in the trees but were found by police who had use of a helicopter overhead. The convoy was making it’s way to RNAD Coulport having travelled from AWE Burghfield.

1^st August 2002

3 TP activists cut the fence at RNAD Coulport. The MoD police were surprised to see the activists there as the location is only reachable by a long and difficult walk on foot. The police were on the inside of the fence with a scaffolding tower, and wanted the activists to get through the fence so that they could arrest them. This didn’t happen, but after some time a police officer and a dog handler reached the activists from the outside of the fence. The 3 were then arrested for malicious mischief.

4^th – 19^th August 2002

TP Disarmament camp.

5^th August 2002

6.40 am the South gate at Faslane was closed by activists and within twenty minutes the North gate was also closed. The blockade ended around 10.30am and 6 were arrested for a Breach of the Peace.

5^th August 2002

2 TP activists arrested for paint anti-Trident slogans beside the main road overlooking Faslane Naval Base.

6^th August 2002

Faslane North Gate was shut for about 1 hour from 8.30am while activists staged a peaceful die-in. The 6^th August marks the day that we remember the atrocities carried out when Hiroshima was bombed, and also the day that the UN imposed comprehensive sanctions on Iraq. Around 70 demonstrators solemnly walked from Faslane Peace Camp to the North Gate entrance, accompanied by a lone drum beat. There were 22 arrests. Activists chalked around the “dead” to symbolise the shadows left by the victims of the Hiroshima bomb. Flowers were placed on the “dead”, remaining with the chalkings after the activists had gone.

6^th August 2002

At Devonport in Plymouth, 2 TP activists hung a 22 foot banner reading “Scrap Trident” inside the dockyard, from the so called “shaky bridge” over Camel’s Head Gate at Devonport, so that all dockyard staff entering the site would see it.

8^th August 2002

TP activists Gillian Sloan and Dave Rolstone got inside the high security area of the base. Gillian explained how the pair swam into the Trident berths at 3 am and spray-painted “Vile” on both flanks of the Trident submarine HMS “Vigilant”, continuing with their work even after being shouted at to desist by the guards. Dave then climbed on to the boat and rang the ship’s bell. Gillian’s account completely undermines attempts by the Ministry of Defence to play down the incident. They were charged with breaching the military by-laws and with malicious mischief. On 20^th May 2003, when presenting legal arguments on the remaining charges, Dave argued that his actions had been justified because of the reality and scale of the Trident threat and the fact that UK Defence Minister Geoff Hoon had three times threatened its use in the context of Iraq. Dave backed his case with reference to the UN Charter, the International Court of Justice’s Advisory Opinion of 1996, and the Lord Advocate’s Reference (LAR) relating to the Trident Three acquittal. Even allowing for the dubious claim made in LAR that international rules regarding weapons only applied during “armed conflict”, their disarmament action had been justified because the UK had been, since 1998, engaged in intensive bombing of Iraq. He ended by saying: “On this issue silence is not mere consent, it is complicity.” On 23^rd June 2003 they were fined £50 for breaching the military by-laws and £200 for the alleged malicious mischief. At a later date, after refusing to pay the associated fine, Dave Rolstone was ordered to do 20 hours community service.

8^th August 2002

An international group of four TP activists were arrested at Coulport, after cutting the perimeter fence there. They were charged with malicious mischief.

12^th August 2002

3 activists Morag Balfour, Sue Brackenbury, and David Heller, were apprehended while cutting the perimeter fence at Faslane. All were charged with malicious mischief.

Campaigners were feeling that new levels of hypocrisy had been reached by the UK Government in its coda to the Strategic Defence review, the “New Chapter”, published in July. This chapter included the following:

“Those at every level responsible for any breach of international law relating to the use of weapons of mass destruction will be held personally to account.”

13^th August 2002

TP activists, Joy Mitchell, Joan Meredith, Eric Benner and Faslance Peace Camp resident Andrew Kieran were all arrested at RNAD Coulport. They sat down in the roadway, blocking the entrance to the base and were charged with a breach of the peace.

23^rd August 2002

TP voiced two huge concerns about the recently published Site Development Strategy Plan by AWE. Firstly, the facilities envisaged will give AWE the capability to develop a successor to Trident. That means nuclear proliferation and is an exact contradiction to the UK’s commitment under the NPT treaty. Secondly, the plan is to combine the manufacture and assembly of nuclear warheads on one site, which takes the criminal irresponsibility of the complex to new heights. The possession and threatened use of the Trident nuclear missile system is contrary to the ruling of the International Court of Justice on the illegality of nuclear weapons and the UK’s obligations under the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty.

24th August 2002

TP activists participated in a mass trespass at RAF Fylingdales, the Ballistic Missile Early Warning Station in North Yorkshire. Fylingdales is part of a global system of US bases that are linked and coordinated to give warning, tracking and targeting capability for US battle management and warfare around the globe. Amongst other things, activists were raising awareness of the key role that Fylingdales has in any future nuclear war.

2^nd September 2002

In the early hours, Councillor Ray Davies and Dr. Margaret Jones, rowed up the River Tamar in a small dinghy, and entered Devonport dockyard in Plymouth. They intended to use hammers and bolt cutters to damage sensitive equipment aboard the nuclear powered submarine Tireless. Tireless forms part of the support system for Britain’s Trident nuclear

weapons. Ray and Margaret hoped to do sufficient damage to delay the submarine’s return to active service for some time. However, they were stopped and arrested before they could carry out their action.

4^th September 2002

TP activists Brian Quail and Barbara McGregor were in court for stopping a nuclear weapons convoy on a public road in Scotland, which they did with others as part of a group. They drew attention to the ironies of being punished for protesting against weapons of mass destruction a day after UK Prime Minister Blair gave his view that “inaction was not an option” over Iraq’s arsenal. They were found guilty of a Breach of the Peace and fined.

4^th September 2002

Activist Eoin Dubsky appeared in a special court in Galway, charged with causing criminal damage to a US Hercules KC-130 military aircraft at Shannon airport early that morning.

The action was part of the ’Refuelling Peace’ project, which was a direct action campaign to monitor and stop US military flights in Ireland. Tim Hourigan, who was involved in the project, was also arrested. Eoin had painted the aircraft with fluorescent red spray-paint as part of what he calls a symbolic act of disarmament. He planned to use a necessity defence, and show that the war being planned against Iraq was a crime against peace. Eoin said that people in TP had inspired him to work on this campaign. Eoin was remanded to appear at Shannon District Court that October.

9^th October 2002

The Law Lords in the High Court in Edinburgh upheld JP Tony Stirling’s acquittal of Tommy Sheridan MSP (SSP) on the grounds that the Justice had applied the law as it stood, ie, the clarification of the Breach of the Peace charge as given in Smith v Donnelly, which makes it clear that evidence of, or the likelihood of alarm or serious disturbance is required.

The JP’s very clear Stated Case had not been challenged. The evidence at the trial on the 8^th October 2001, from the Crown witnesses, had established that at the Big blockade on February 12^th, which Tommy Sheridan had participated in, no one had been alarmed, or was likely to have been. The verdict had put into question the whole process and policy of mass arrests by the police. Also, as the case was practically identical to hundreds of others, there is the question of the wrong done to so many people who have been criminalised and convicted on the basis of similar facts, even when the Smith v Donnelly Opinion was known to the courts.

15^th October 2002

The impact of last week’s rejection of the Crown appeal against the acquittal of MSP Tommy Sheridan for a Faslane blockade was seen today in Helensburgh District Court when Mark Leech was found not guilty of a Breach of the Peace at the blockade of the Trident base last October. Mark’s defence was based on the peaceful and relaxed nature of the protest and the consequent lack of evidence of alarm or serious disturbance. The JP told Mark that he was not convinced beyond reasonable doubt that he had committed the offence. There was no dispute concerning the evidence about the basic facts of the case. As such, the JP’s doubts could only mean that he was not sure that lying in the roadway at Faslane constituted a breach of the peace, a decision that reflected the view of the High Court last week.

22^nd October 2002

At Helensburgh District Court a local magistrate added further confusion to the question of the charge of a breach of the peace at Faslane protests, by finding one protester guilty and another not guilty, despite similar facts in both cases. The Magistrate had based her decisions on an apparent misunderstanding of the High Court’s judgement in rejecting the Crown’s appeal against the acquittal of Tommy Sheridan on 9^th October 2002. The Magistrate’s comments indicated her misunderstanding that relevant to a Breach of the Peace charge is whether or not traffic was being held up, or whether police warnings were given. What is required for a Breach of the Peace is evidence of, or the likelihood of, alarm or serious disturbance.

15^th – 18^th November 2002

Block the Dock – TP International Disarmament Camp

Bishop Christopher Budd, the Catholic Bishop of Plymouth, whose diocese covers much of the West Country, sent a message of support to TP for the Interfaith Service at its disarmament camp at Devonport.

14^th November 2002

The Devonport Peace Camp was established when TP members began a squat in what was a part of the old Barracks on Raglan Road, Plymouth. A banner was hung from the building, until police officers removed it without permission from activists who were occupying the building at the time. The banner was later returned, following valiant representation by an activist.

15^th November 2002

Late evening, 2 TP activists, Petter Joelson (Sweden) and Elisa Silvennoinen (Finland), entered Devonport naval base, and made their way to dock 9 undetected. They boarded the Trident submarine, HMS Vanguard, and rang the ships bell, much to the surprise of MoD staff and dockyard workers. It was both a practical act of disarmament, in preventing normal operations of the base, and also served as a symbolic protest against Britain’s illegal nuclear policies.

They describe how after they had been inside the submarine, and seen the holes on the outside where they fire the missiles, they decided to press an alarm button. The first alarm button didn’t work, so they tried two other fire alarm buttons on the other side of the sub. They had probably been inside the sub for 20 minutes at this point. A couple of minutes went by, but still nothing happened, so they pressed the other alarm too. Then lots of workers, maybe 10 to 20, came up from the lower parts of the submarine, just where they were standing. Both Petter and Elisa were charged with criminal damage to a fence valued at £250. The fence concerned was a small fence protecting HMS Vanguard in its dock. They were released on bail not to enter the city of Plymouth, including Devonport. On 14^th March 2003 both Petter and Elisa appeared at Plymouth Magistrates Court where they were both found guilty of criminal damage to the perimeter fence, and given compensation orders of £146 each. They were both conditionally discharged not to commit another offence, otherwise they were to be re-sentenced for this offence.

As a result of this action, Devonport Management Limited sacked the firm who had the security contract at Devonport and put in place electronic measures (including CCTV) and additional guards.

18^th November 2002

From 6:30am around 50 peace campaigners, including local supporters, blockaded Camel’s Head gate and Albert gate at Devonport Royal Navy dockyard, disrupting work at the base. Seven women were arrested and charged with “obstruction of the highway”. Five of them locked together by their wrists inside plastic tubing. All were released on bail later the same day. All 7 women were acquitted on 25^th March 2003 at Plymouth Magistrates as the Crown had not established whether it was the public highway that they had obstructed.

8^th December 2002

TP gave a warm welcome to British CND’s historic legal challenge to the UK stance over the war against Iraq. The case, a judicial review, which was heard in the High Court on 9^th December, proceeded against Tony Blair, Jack Straw and Geoff Hoon. CND argued that the government would be acting illegally if it used armed force against Iraq without a fresh Security Council Resolution. It argued also that the current resolutions, including UN Security Council Resolution 1441 (adopted on 8 November 2002) do not impliedly or explicitly contain an authorisation of the use of force.

20^th December 2002

News broke of an accident to Trident submarine HMS Vanguard in the Devonport dockyard in Plymouth. This prompted fresh worries about the competence of the contractors, Devonport Management Limited and the safety of the citizens of Plymouth.

DML Management Ltd. said that part of a structure designed to lift the radioactive fuel plates from the ship’s reactor struck the casing of the submarine. They claimed that the incident caused “no risk to safety”. As a TP spokesperson said, that claim is absurd, given that very heavy machinery was obviously for some time out of the handlers’ control. If the casing had been removed to allow access to the reactor, then it is possible that the machinery could have fallen on the reactor itself.

A National Audit Office report revealed that the whole refit programme had fallen so far behind schedule that any further delay could threaten the ability of the Navy to maintain the Trident patrols at the current level. TP stated that they hoped that the pressure caused by delay will not lead to cutting corners with safety.

28^th December 2002

Ulla Roder, a Danish TP activist, and Graham from Faslane Peace Camp entered the RAF Fylingdales Ballistic Missile Early Warning station in Yorkshire and were arrested while attempting to reach the satellite communication dome. The pair had cut through two fences and were cutting through the razor wire when arrested. They were charged with criminal damage and with going equipped to commit criminal damage. They stated that, “The upgrading of RAF Fylingdales will trigger a new arms race on earth and in space. The use of RAF Fylingdales, in combination with other bases such as the US Spy Base at Menwith Hill as part of the control and command network for the Trident nuclear Weapons system, we see as a threat to all humanity especially with an impending war on Iraq.” Ulla was remanded as she refused to accept bail conditions of not to go within 500m of any MoD property in England and Wales.

2003

1^st January 2003

Angie Zelter was deported from Israel on the grounds that she had ’disrupted

the demolition of houses ordered by the government’. She went back to Israel to give evidence in three cases involving settlers using violence against Palestinians in the West Bank. She had collected evidence of human rights abuses as part of her work with the International Women’s Peace Service (IWPS) and intended to present this to the court. Instead, Angie was denied entrance to Israel and held as a ‘security risk’. She was assaulted by the Head of the Immigration Police in the airport, wrapped up in a blanket, and forcefully dragged to a plane, whereupon the pilot, prevented her deportation by refusing to take off. So, Angie was taken back to a cell and was set a time for a court hearing. Deportation was authorised at the hearing, where she was told that she wasn’t wanted in the State of Israel because of her work with the IWPS and because she had disrupted the demolition of houses ordered by the government! A large group of peace activists were forcibly removed from the courtroom when they tried to surround Angie to prevent her from being taken away by the police.

13^th January 2003

In protest at preparations for war in Iraq, TP activists and Faslane Peace Camp (FPC) residents together took part in a blockade of the Edinburgh BAe site who make electronic guidance systems for fighter aircraft and missiles. All vehicle access was blocked to the site and briefly pedestrian access was blocked too (activists were able to remove themselves quickly if an emergency occurred) A shuttle bus was later provided by the company to get workers to the site from a temporary car park. While there, the activists got news that the British Aircraft Carrier the Ark Royal was moored at the Glen Mallon Jetty on Loch Long, and was being loaded up with munitions from Glen Douglas. Having blockaded BAe for about 3 hours, everyone decided to unlock and rush to Glenmallan, but there was a heavy police presence with a secure zone around the loading area which was hard to breach. The following day, 3 activists, one a member of TP, used a car to block the entrance to the loading jetty, preventing loading for most of the morning. Other activists started having dialogue with young members of the crew about the legality of the Iraq war, but police stepped in and prevented any communication with one another. One FPC resident Hoosie, sat on top of the gate to the jetty, with one leg entwined in each side of the gate, despite a forceful hailstorm. The police were unable to get him down. On the sad day of the Ark Royal leaving, TP member and FPC resident Fungus, along with Graham went into the water alongside the Ark Royal to try to physically do all they could to prevent the huge carrier from leaving. They were arrested when in the water.

19^th January 2003

Members of the Muriel Lester affinity group of TP were among the 71 arrested during a demonstration and blockade at the British military command centre at Northwood, north of London. The main gate to the site was blocked for over 8 hours in a protest against the threat of war on Iraq.

23^rd January 2003

The UK, US and Canadian Governments were on this day served with letters before action warning them of the consequences of an illegal use of force against Iraq.

28^th January 2003

8 TP activists blocked the main gate at the Raynesway site at Rolls Royce Derby. They locked themselves to the entrance gates with a variety of chains, padlocks and thumb locks. The group attached a banner to the gates, proclaiming “Rolls Royce: the driving force behind Britain’s nuclear weapons”, and gave out leaflets to employees arriving at the site, explaining their presence.

31^st January 2003

3 TP activists Joss Garman, Sylvia Boyes, and Olivia Agate, were arrested late in the night after attempting to break into RAF Menwith Hill, a US Spy Base, and an essential part of Bush’s plan for war on Iraq as well as being one of the bases that the US government wishes to use for their controversial plans for “Star Wars.” On 1^st July 2003, the court withdrew the charge against Joss, ’binding him over’ to ’keep the peace’ for twelve months, whereas Sylvia and Olivia were both found guilty and ordered to pay £550 each. Sylvia had explained her reasons for the action, and described what she saw in 1991 when she went to Iraq during the first Gulf War as part of a ’peace team.’

3^rd February 2003

In the early hours of this day, 5 activists who came to be known as the Pitstop Ploughshares, disarmed a US warplane at Shannon Airport, County Clare in Ireland. Within the month, three of the four companies contracted to ferry US troops and weapons had left Ireland. The 5, Deirdre Clancy, Nuin Dunlop, Karen Fallon, Ciaron O’Reilly and Damien Moran, were all part of the Catholic Worker Movement, and Karen was also a TP member and resident of Faslane Peace Camp. The 5 faced a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment if convicted of the charges. They had cut their way into the airport, and poured human blood on the runway as it had been used for servicing U.S. military flights and had also been used in the deployment of troop and munitions to U.S. military bases in Kuwait and Qatar. In fact 50,000 U.S. troops & munitions passed through Shannon Airport en route to the war on Iraq. The Pitstop Ploughshares constructed a shrine to the children of Iraq killed by US/UK actions. They began to take up the runway, working on its edge with a mallet. They painted “Pitstop of death” on a hanger’s roller door, and began dismantling the hanger. Then they began to disarm a US Navy plane that was inside the hanger. After this they prayed together. They called for mass non-violent resistance to the illegal refuelling of US Military aircraft at Shannon. They were fully accountable for their actions and were imprisoned on remand at Limerick Prison. Karen served 3 months before being released under strict bail conditions. The action received considerable media attention in Ireland. After 3 long years of waiting, comprising 3 trials, time imprisoned, and then Karen and others being under bail conditions not to leave Ireland and return home, the 5 were finally acquitted on 25^th July 2006. It had been a long time, and Karen was finally able to come home again.

6^th February 2003

4 TP activists blocked the north gate of Faslane, while a group of others prevented worker traffic getting into the south gate for over an hour. Traffic was seen to tail back for over three miles in one direction. There was news this day that North Korea was threatening a pre-emptive strike against the US and its allies. As TP activist David Mackenzie said “The UK and US’s nuclear warmongering has made the whole world a much more deadly and unsafe place and it is looking increasingly likely that Trident will be used.”

On 10^th February 2004 Jane Tallents, who was one of the four blockaders, was sent to HMP Cornton Vale prison for 14 days after refusing to pay a fine that she had previously received for the action on the 6^th Feb 2003.

11^th February 2003

Matthew Holborow faced trial at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court, after stopping a military convoy travelling between AWE Burghfield and RNAD Coulport in Scotland. The Convoy Commander, who is a senior MoD policeman, was summoned from AWE Aldermaston to give evidence and Matthew was to have the opportunity to question him. The previous day, police confirmed on oath that the convoys were carrying nuclear warheads. Matthew’s defence was that preparing for the threat or use of 100-kiloton nuclear bombs, is a war crime, and so he had lawful excuse to attempt to prevent crime by trying to stop the convoy.

17^th February 2003

Activists from Trident Ploughshares and Faslane Peace Camp prevented a nuclear convoy from leaving RNAD Coulport for almost 3 hours. The convoy was on its journey back to AWE Aldermaston. 3 of the 6 protesters also blocked the main entrance to RNAD Coulport, closing the entire base for a short while.

23^rd February 2003

TP activist Kate Holcombe and two other defendants were accused of causing thousands of pounds worth of damage to the main gate of the Fairford Air Force Base in the course of a large demonstration against the Iraq war.

During the protests, dozens of demonstrators found their way onto the airfield and were pursued by the MOD police before being ejected. However, Kate says how, at their trial on 15^th November, a video was shown in which it was obvious to all in court except the jury and the prosecution that there was no damage whatsoever to the bottom of the gate. Kate was found Not Guilty of criminal damage, but Guilty of having been “Reckless” as to whether MoD property was damaged (when all she did was to pull on a rope) She was given a 2 year Conditional Discharge and no financial penalty. Of the other defendants, one was found not guilty and another was fined £500 and given a 2 year Conditional Discharge.

26^th February 2003

Seven Midlands TP activists were arrested after successfully closing the Rolls Royce site at Derby for 1 hour. The activists gave out leaflets to employees arriving at the site, explaining their presence. They were all charged with a Breach of the Peace.

5^th March 2003

4 TP members lodged a complaint with Luton police to ask that they urgently investigate a breach of International Law. The 4 went to their local police station and desk staff asked them to wait to see the inspector. Local media were present as the inspector met with the four activists, read the complaint in full and thanked them for bringing it to his attention.

10^th March 2003

2 TP activists breached security at RAF Leuchars in Fife, in order to inspect the base ahead of any involvement in illegal activity in an attack on Iraq. They were charged with two sets of Malicious Mischief for cutting five sections of chainlink fence, and for spray painting peace slogans. The action was carried out as a last resort, when it was thought the Iraq war would start the next day. In fact hostilities begun around 10 days later. Roz and Petter were aware that RAF Leuchars Tornadoes were set to be a major player in the Iraq war, and the planes had for sometime been involved in patrolling the Iraqi southern no-fly zone. After breaking into the base, they approached the large main Tornado Hanger and found it empty. Some smaller adjacent hangers, presumably for Tornadoes, were also empty. At that point, they painted anti-war slogans in blood red paint, and on other empty aircraft sheds, and on Land Rovers painted in desert camouflage colours. They were inside the base for over 2 hours before being arrested. After a closed hearing, they were released on bail, but were both put under petition. Petter also had to give up his passport whilst the level of damages was assessed.

11^th March 2003

Ulla Roder a TP activist from Denmark, but living in Scotland, broke into RAF Leuchars in Fife and disarmed a Tornado plane. This was the 2^nd time that the RAF base had been broken into within 24 hours. In the dark, Ulla had reached a hanger at the furthest end of the base. A tornado was not only inside, but it was also unguarded. She said that she took her hammer to the nose-cone, and then to the cockpit, the fuselage, the wings, the tailplane, and then to other parts of the plane which it was safe to damage. She said that she didn’t see it being able to fly again. Ulla appeared at a private hearing at Cupar Sheriff Court and was remanded to HMP Cornton Vale on petition. She was charged with criminal damage. The cost of the damage at that point in time was thought to maybe run to over £1 million, but another estimate went right up to £25 million. Ulla was content that this particular aircraft was not going to be dropping bombs on innocent people in Iraq. She acted to save lives in Iraq, and said she felt a deep inner peace after her action.

11^th March 2003

9 people from the Norfolk and Suffolk area, several of them TP activists, cut their way into the American airbase, “RAF” Lakenheath, to take non-violent action in order to disrupt preparations for the illegal war against Iraq. A large hole was cut in the fence allowing 7 citizens to cycle into the base, while 2 others stayed by the hole, with banners reading “No nukes no war” and “No War for Oil”. Once inside the base the cyclists split up. One cycled up and down the main runway, while 6 others locked themselves down, or lay down on the old runway, and could not be removed for 3 hours. They were charged with suspicion to cause criminal damage.

14^th March 2003

2 TP activists, Paul Milling and Margaret Jones disabled thirty vehicles which provide essential support to the US B52 bombers stationed at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. In the event of war the bombers would be used to “carpet-bomb” Iraq. The fleet of specialist support vehicles were used to service, refuel, and load bombs onto the aircraft. The activists carried with them bags of sugar to contaminate the fuel, grinding paste and treacle to add to the oil systems, spikes to puncture the tyres, and crowbars & hammers to damage the vehicles. Margaret said that it is up to ordinary citizens to stop the war machine. She could not bear the thought of these bombers dropping cargoes of death on ordinary Iraqi people.

19^th March 2003

TP activist Angie Zelter, and Clive Fudge entered US base, RAF Lakenheath and made their way towards the restricted area where nuclear capable US F-15 Strike-Eagle aircraft are parked. US guards rushed up, brandishing guns and calling out incomprehensible commands. Angie and Clive then sat down on the ground until the civilian police came and arrested them. Clive was charged with aggravated trespass and criminal damage (allegedly for cutting a perimeter fence) and was released on bail. Angie was charged with aggravated trespass and was remanded. She told the magistrate that she was outraged that the UK was attacking Iraq because of WMD, while we had a huge arsenal of our own.

29^th March 2003

TP activist Joss Garman was arrested after breaking into USAF Fairford, where America’s B52 bombers are stationed. Joss was found near the runway from which the B52s depart to attack Iraq and was alongside another protestor from Stop the War Coalition. They were charged with Criminal Damage, Aggravated Trespass, and going equipped to commit further Criminal Damage. They were bailed not to go within 500m of any military establishment in the UK.

2^nd April 2003

TP activist Sue Brackenbury was sentenced to 28 days in prison due to non payment of £250 in fines and refusing to comply with a Supervised Attendance Order (SAO). The sentence would usually be 14 days for non payment of a fine of the equivalent amount, but the JP used the power to double this as Sue refused to do the SAO. Sue had been very clear right from the start that she was not going to comply with any SAO, yet the court still persisted with this.

4^th April 2003

Two activists were arrested inside Faslane base, a few yards from the inner security fence, after cutting their way through two outer fences. They were charged with malicious damage.

18^th April 2003

Pitstop Ploughshares activist Karen Fallon was released from Limerick prison on bail. The group had disarmed a US warplane at Shannon Airport in Ireland in Feb 2003. Karen, who is a TP activist and was a resident of Faslane Peace Camp, was the last of the 5 Pitstop Ploughshares activists to be released, but like the others she was given strict bail conditions. One condition being that she was not permitted to go home and wait for her trial there, but instead she had to remain in Ireland.

22^nd April 2003

The Really Big Blockade. Hundreds of people protested against Britain’s weapons of mass destruction and together closed all vehicular access to Faslane. 171 arrests. Activists locked themselves together using chain and plastic or metal tubing. The North Gate was closed by activists for over 8 hours, and the smaller South Gate was closed for over 5 hours. Immediately after a ceremony at the main gate which closed the blockade, the “bandit” alarm was sounded inside the base after three activists cut their way through the perimeter fence.

14^th May 2003

TP issues a statement in response to the revelation, as reported by the BBC, that the costs incurred by the British MoD in dealing with protest at the Faslane base in 2002 were close to £500K. TP firstly points out how public statements issued by the MOD have generally had a low level of reliability, and how this amount is one sixth of the daily expenditure on Trident. They also point out that if this money had been spent on heightening security, then it was largely wasted, given the ease at which protestors have managed to breach high security areas. Although it’s very concerning how TP activities expose the complacent way in which the Naval bases, as prime terrorist targets, are defended from attack, the overriding concern for all those in TP is Trident itself, with it’s ongoing and active threat to humanity.

6^th to 9^th June 2003

Whilst US and British forces continued to search Iraq for traces of WMD, the TP camp at Aldermaston intended to put the spotlight on the UK’s own weapons of mass destruction. Protestors walked around the base carrying out inspections during the camp, and a number of activists went over and under the fence and were ushered out of the base by police. Some people cut through the fence at Greenham Common. The Women’s Camp blockaded Falcon Gate and part of the main gate at Aldermaston with a knitting protest. Police searched a van and the campsite, and some understood this to be carried out under Section 44 of the Anti-Terrorism Act 2000. As such, anti-terrorist powers were being used against known peaceful protestors, denying them the right to peaceful protest. This is because under Section 44, searches can be carried out without any reasonable suspicion that people are involved in terrorist activities. The law has been repeatedly criticised by human rights groups including Amnesty International.

11^th June 2003

8 activists from Faslane Peace Camp and Trident Ploughshares together blockaded the gates of Rolls Royce in Derby to mark the camp’s 21^st birthday. Their trial at Derby Magistrates Court came to a conclusion on 20^th November after two and a half days. The site employs 2000 people, and with both gates blocked it produced major tailbacks. The court refused to allow the defence to quote International Law, ruling that “International Law is a political issue and not to be discussed in this court.” The seven who attended court were found guilty of Public Order Act section 5 offences and fined £200 plus £200 court costs each. Sadly, there was clearly fabricated police evidence in court, with one officer saying that the protesters had charged at 10 to 20 employees during the blockade. The police were not able to show video evidence or produce witnesses. Prescription medication was withheld during their time in police custody, and no right of reply to charges was allowed at the time of arrest. One protester had his charge of Police Assault dropped. He had been dragged from a gate by police after pressure points were used to remove him. The police video of the action showed there was no evidence of assault and showed all the blockaders acting totally peacefully at all times.

3^rd July 2003

TP activist Sylvia Boyes was sent to prison for 3 months for carrying out disarmament actions whilst under a 2 year conditional discharge (given at York Crown Court) for “going equipped” during a previous TP action. The original offence leading to the conditional discharge was “going equipped” and breaking into Fylingdales Ballistic Missile Early Warning Station in Yorkshire on the 28/3/02. Sylvia was given £1,200 in costs to pay.

4^th August 2003

TP activist Joss Garman (18) was presented with an award by the ’National Ann Frank Exhibition’ for his “moral courage” in campaigning for peace and protection of the environment. Joss was nominated for the award by the Principal of Hereford Sixth Form.

6^th August 2003

TP camp at Coulport. TP activists marched from Faslane Peace Camp to the north gate of Faslane base. There they held a die-in to symbolically block the entrance of the base, and remember the thousands of people murdered 58 years ago, and those who are still suffering today from the effects of the bomb. Activists lay in front of the gate, blocking the entrance, and others painted red footprints onto the road. Nine people were arrested, mostly for Breach of the Peace, with two arrested for painting onto the road.

7^th August 2003

More actions as part of the TP camp. On this day, a blockade of North Gate took place. The previous night eight protestors entered the Oil Fuel Depot at Faslane and occupied it for twelve hours. Morag sat in a tree inside the depot until nearly 8am, while an MoD dog handler waited for her to climb down. Two protestors sat on top of an MoD building for over 4 hours holding a decorated banner between them reading “Ban the Bomb”.

8^th August 2003

Ulla Roder was released from prison after the PF was denied an extension on Ulla’s remand period, at Edinburgh High Court. This was due to a legal technicality. She had been on remand since 10th March 2003, when she was arrested after disarming a Tornado jet, preventing its use in the war against Iraq.

11^th August 2003

2 TP activists Marcus Armstrong and Peter Hammarstedt swam across the Gare Loch, evading the constant patrols by security launches and inflatables. They got inside the floating boom by the Trident berths before being apprehended. They planned to reach a submarine and spray-paint the hull with peace slogans, but were picked up from the water by MOD marine patrol officers

Later that morning a mini ‘camp’ at Faslane North Gate was set up for a day by 4 TP activists who are disabled. An occupation of one lane of the roadway into the North Gate caused disruption to traffic which had to pass around the activists lying in the road, and a fenced off area temporarily put up by the MOD. The 4 remained in the road for 7 hours on a very hot day.

Earlier that day, TP activist Matt Bury stopped a military vehicle leaving by linking on to the front of the van until he was prised off. Later a second van was also stopped from entering the base when Sam Jones climbed onto the roof and stood for a short while waving a flag. The police got the van to reverse but with Sam still standing on it.

12^th August 2003

Two “citizens weapon inspections” took place of the Trident bases on the Clyde. 2 activists from Sweden Petter Joelson and Linus Larsson, were arrested attempting to gain access to Faslane base by swimming across the Gare Loch. They intended to spray the words “Blix, they’re here” on the hull of the Trident submarine, referring to the inability of the UNMOVIC weapons inspection team (led by Hans Blix) to find evidence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. In a separate action 2 Finish TP activists were arrested at the perimeter fence of Coulport.

14^th August 2003

Five more arrests at Faslane as TP activists cut the perimeter fence. In broad daylight, a panel of the weld-mesh fence was cut by a petrol-driven mechanical saw before the police were able to intervene.

14^th August 2003

2 TP activists Jane Tallents and Adam Conway, broke into the nuclear warhead depot at Coulport after cutting through the high security perimeter fence. They cut a hole in the weld-mesh fence with bolt-cutters and then walked on the inside for about half a mile before being arrested. They were charged with malicious mischief.

15^th September 2003

3 TP activists locked themselves to each other using steel tubes and blockaded the gateway of RNAD Coulport for 2 ½ hours. The action was the first in TP’s Nonstop Nukestop campaign in which the intention was to disrupt Trident bases on the Clyde, Faslane and Coulport, by direct action all year round.

This same day, TP activist Barbara Sunderland (73) appeared at Bedford Magistrates Court, having refused on principle to pay a fine of £190 imposed on her for a 2 minute sit-down at Faslane naval base the previous year. The court opted for locking Barbara up for the day, rather than give her a prison sentence.

22^nd September 2003

2 TP activists were arrested after scaling a perimeter wall at Devonport naval dockyard, where Trident nuclear submarine, HMS Vanguard, was berthed. Sue Brackenbury and Matt Bury, issued a statement before their action in which they said they had “jointly undertaken to disarm the nuclear weapons submarine HMS Vanguard at present undergoing refit in Devonport Dockyard”. They were held under suspicion of having committed criminal damage. Matt stated that “despite being a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty of 1968 (NPT), Britain has failed to take any steps towards nuclear disarmament, and is working on a new nuclear weapons programme at AWE Aldermaston.”

2^nd – 6^th October 2003

TP disarmament camp at Devonport

3^rd October 2003

9 TP activists were arrested on the way to Devonport Naval base and were released without charge, some having been kept in custody for nearly 12 hours.

6^th October 2003

2 activists were arrested for blocking the Camel’s Head Gate at the Devonport Naval base. They were charged with Obstruction of the Highway.

13^th October 2003

A nuclear warhead convoy travelling from AWE Burghfield to RNAD Coulport, was stopped twice by activists when travelling through Scotland. 5 arrests were made.

15^th October 2003

Kirkcaldy court issues a warrant for Ulla Roder’s arrest due to her non-appearance in court. This meant her trial was also postponed. There had been ongoing frustrations with the court with Ulla’s case and this hearing would have been to discuss the admissibility of expert witnesses.

16^th October 2003

Nuclear Warhead convoy breaks down in Loch Lomond National Park when at the start of it’s journey from RNAD Coulport to AWE Burghfield due to a mechanical fault. This resulted in the convoy being parked vulnerably in a lay-by on the A82 for an hour. It was believed that the convoy would have been carrying 8 Trident warheads, equivalent to the fire-power of 50 Hiroshimas.

28^th October 2003

Blockade of Faslane North Gate by 5 activists. 2 TP members and 3 residents of Faslane Peace Camp. Long tailbacks formed as workers arriving for the morning had to use an alternative entrance. They had a banner which read “Masses of WMD’s Here!”

9^th November 2003

On Remembrance Sunday, TP activist Sue Brackenbury and peace activist Shirley Law entered Devonport dockyard with the intention of boarding the Trident submarine HMS Vanguard, and doing damage to either delay its re-fit, or to take it out of service. They were apprehended and charged with Criminal Damage to a chain-link fence which was within the dockyard, (they had climbed an outer wall), and of Going Equipped to cause Criminal Damage to a Trident submarine. Following Sue and Matt’s action at the same Naval base on the 22^nd September, Sue had been on bail not to approach the Dockyard. Due to breaching bail she was remanded until a hearing on the 22^nd December.

The trial for this action and for the previous action at Devonport Dockyard by Sue and Matt on the 22^nd September 2003 were heard together at Plymouth Crown Court on 26^th February 2004. The “Devonport 3” were all found guilty the following day, on all charges, after they were denied the use of their legal defence by the Plymouth Judge. Sue, who, by then had already served the equivalent of an eight-month sentence on remand, was released after she was sentenced to six months. Matt Bury and Shirley Law were each given a 12 month conditional discharge. The judge made clear that none of the evidence in relation to International law could be put to the jury because he said, it was “flawed.“ This is despite the ruling by the highest legal body in the world, the International court of Justice, and despite evidence from the likes of Prof. Grief.

13^th November 2003

Helensburgh District Court rejected a submission by TP activist, Alan Wilkie, that his human rights were breached, and he was discriminated against when police arrested him at a Faslane blockade, but they did not arrest MSP Tommy Sheridan who was behaving identically to Alan. Alan submitted that his human rights had been breached by the arrest, under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights which guarantees freedom of expression, under Article 11, which confirms the right of assembly and association, and, critically, under Article 14, which prohibits any discrimination in relation to these rights.

9^th December 2003

Fungus, a TP activist and resident of Faslane Peace Camp, entered Faslane and got right to the Trident area. The bandit alarm went off. Fungus perched on top of a police post at the entrance to Trident berth 12 and stayed there until 11pm, eventually coming down voluntarily when the scaffolding team were arriving. She also spray-painted the entrance to the berth with “Merry Xmas from Faslane Peace Camp – No War”.

15^th December 2003

As part of TP’s “Non-stop Nuke-stop” campaign, 7 TP activists carried out a festive blockade of the North gate at Faslane, while the South gate was blockaded by residents of Faslane Peace Camp.

2004

19^th January 2004

3 activists blockaded the main gate at RNAD Coulport for 2 ½ hours, and were arrested for a Breach of the Peace.

2^nd February 2004

4 TP’ers locked out Lockheed Martin headquarters staff by locking the front doors together and occupying the entrance for over 6 hours. Staff had to use an alternative back door. The action drew attention to the role of this multinational corporation in the manufacture of weapons of mass destruction, and how it is actively engaged in developing the UK’s next generation of nuclear weapons, whilst also being the largest maker and exporter of arms.

12^th February 2004

The third TP’er to be sent to prison in a week was sentenced this day. All 3 sentences were for unpaid fines following being charged for peaceful blockading of the gates at Faslane or Coulport.

8^th March 2004

For nearly 2 hours, 4 activists Jane Smith, David Mackenzie, Eric Wallace and Monique

D’Hooghe blockaded the North Gate of Faslane causing long delays off workers traffic trying to enter. The blockade was part of the ‘Non-Stop Nuke-Stop’ campaign which caused frequent, regular and unannounced disruptions to the Clyde Trident bases. The 4 were arrested and charged with Breach of the Peace.

20^th April 2004

TP’s ‘Deadline for Disarmament’ campaign began with demands to MPs in the UK, and from concerned people in the international community to British embassies abroad, for Britain to comply with its obligations under the nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT). It was timed to coincide with the preliminary NPT meetings held in April/May in New York in preparation for 2005’s NPT Review Conference. Reference to nuclear proliferation

had overwhelmingly focused on one part of the treaty only. That being, the aim to prevent new countries taking up nuclear weapons. However, the other half of the obligation, requiring nuclear weapon states to eliminate their nuclear arsenals, had almost entirely been ignored – (as continues to be the case.)

21^st April 2004

5 TP’ers marked the release of Israeli nuclear whistleblower, Mordechai Vanunu, by evading a high security fence, and breaking into the Ministry of Defence command and control centre for Trident, whilst dressed in white overalls and Mordechai Vanunu masks. They were able to explore briefly, before being held at gunpoint by marines. They were searched on all fours, and marched with hands on heads to a ‘holding room. The action came just days before the start of the NPT Preparatory Conference in New York, and therefore was timed to pressure the UK ambassador there. The case was featured in The Independent due to a disclosure the defendants received in which the Crown acknowledged that there is a “respectable body of expert opinion which is of the view that any decision by Britain to develop a new or further nuclear weapon system as a follow on to Trident, would directly violate the undertakings made by Britain at the sixth Review Conference of NPT state parties in May 2000.” They were accused of Criminal Damage and Going Equipped to Northwood Military HQ. They received personal messages of support from actress Susannah York and the Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone. On release 3 of the activists discovered that their homes had been raided by police.

26^th April 2004

TP pledgers Paul Milling and Margaret Jones were 2 of the 5 defendants in a historic 5 days of legal argument in Bristol Crown court around the legality of the Iraq war. The hearing aimed to address the key question:

“Are defendants in a British court allowed to argue that the war on Iraq was a war crime, or are such questions outside the court’s remit?” This was the first time this issue had been addressed in a British court.

A week before the war on Iraq began, 13^th March 2003, Paul and Margaret cut their way into Fairford Air Force base. They disabled trucks used for carrying bombs, and also disabled tankers for fuelling the U.S. B-52 bombers, which were waiting to attack Iraq. This action was followed by Phil Pritchard and Toby Olditch, and Josh Richards, who tried to reach and disarm the B-52 bombers stationed there, which were to be used to attack Iraq. Each of the ‘Fairford 5’ were charged with criminal damage and/or conspiracy. Each offered a ’lawful excuse’ defence – that they aimed at preventing the crime of the Iraq war. Therefore, in an unprecedented move, the question of whether the war was in fact illegal was considered at High Court level, before the trials went ahead.

28^th April 2004

As part of the ’Deadline for Disarmament’ initiative, organised by TP, activists from the Belgian NGO ‘For Mother Earth,’ met with a representative of the British Embassy in Brussels. The purpose of the meeting was in order to publicly demand that the UK government fulfils its treaty obligations under the Non Proliferation Treaty to eliminate its nuclear arsenal.

4^th May 2004

The appeals of 3 TP activists against convictions for a Breach of the Peace were rejected by the Scottish High Court. The judgement appeared to support the status quo as represented in the Smith v Donnelly opinion.

9^th May 2004

6 activists, including TP’ers, were arrested, when they twice stopped a nuclear weapons convoy travelling from AWE Burghfield in England to the warhead storage depot at RNAD Coulport on Loch Long. The convoy was first stopped beneath Stirling castle. One activist waved the leading truck to a standstill and then climbed on top of its cab, while others went in front to block its advance. It was 20 minutes before the trucks could set off again. It was stopped a second time in Balloch, despite a heavy police presence.

18^th May 2004

TP’ers locked out Lockheed Martin headquarters staff for an hour, to draw attention to the role of this multinational corporation in the manufacture of weapons of mass destruction. Lockheed Martin is the world’s largest maker and exporter of arms, and is actively engaged in developing the UK’s next generation of nuclear weapons at Aldermaston. No arrests were made.

28^th May 2004

3^rd annual disarmament camp established at Devonport. TP’ers from camp were amongst the few hundred protesters who marched through the centre of Plymouth on 29^th May, demanding Trident to be scrapped.

1^st June 2004

6 TP’ers successfully cut their way into AWE Burghfield, and then dispersed inside the base, so as to distribute leaflets to the base personnel. They wanted to make the base personnel aware of their responsibilities under international law. These responsibilities include how, “Even a direct order to work on illegal weapons systems should not be carried out and could result in prosecution in the future.”

1^st June 2004

A visit by Prince Andrew was met with 2 activists from Faslane Peace Camp and another in TP blocking the main gate for an hour. The large police presence made it difficult for them to position themselves, and they were dragged across the road at one point.

23^rd June 2004

3 TP’ers Morag Balfour, Jane Smith and David Mackenzie, were arrested at RNAD Coulport as they carried out a citizens’ weapons inspection of the Coulport nuclear weapons depot.

24^th June 2004

3 activists entered Faslane at the north end of the base, cutting a hole in the perimeter fence large enough for the activist who uses a wheelchair to get in. They made their way without interruption to the inner fence. They were in the process of cutting their way through that when they were detained. They also painted peace slogans, such as “No WMD” on buildings inside the base.

7^th July 2004

As part of the TP camp at Aldermaston, two activists Andrew Gray and Sue Brackenbury, cut their way through the perimeter fence and spray-painted peace messages on a cluster of buildings just inside the main gate of the site.

12^th July 2004

A new oratorio, “Trident: A British War Crime”, was given a special premier in

Parliament Hall, Edinburgh, for the benefit of Scottish High Court Judges, Advocates and lawyers. Performed by 17 peace activists from TP, the new oratorio highlighted the hypocrisy of “justice” around Trident. This hypocrisy is whereby peace protestors are branded criminals for taking action against these illegal weapons of mass destruction, while Trident itself continues to be maintained, sucking resources away from other vital public services. The oratorio was written by Camilla Cancantata, an improvising musician and composer based in London.

The singers were resurrecting the 19th century tradition of music making in Parliament Hall. Shortly after the performance started, security at the Hall became agitated, and seemed insistent on halting the performance. Several advocates and lawyers, and even a judge, stopped to listen to the oratorio and commented on how much they enjoyed such an innovative way of making a point.

21^st July 2004

At the end of June 2004, the Court of Appeal heard pre-trial submissions from both Crown and defence lawyers in the cases of the five activists who undertook to damage US-owned military hardware at the air base at Fairford, Gloucestershire, in the weeks before the Iraq war. Paul Milling and Margaret Jones, both in TP, disabled support vehicles used to supply bombs and fuel to B-52 bombers. In two further separate incidents, Philip Pritchard and Toby Olditch, and Josh Richards, were arrested while on their way to disable a plane.

The main point at issue: the defendants’ right to argue that they carried out their actions to resist an illegal war.

The Appeal Court judges hearing the appeal on this day, ruled it is “not necessary” to consider the legality of the war in Iraq, for the accused to have a defence in law. The accused were unable to claim “preventing the crime of aggression” as the basis of their defence. At trial, the defendants would still be able to rely on the defence of “lawful excuse.” They would be able to argue from the Criminal Damage Act of 1971, that, in damaging support vehicles for B-52 bombers, or in breaking into Fairford air base to try and disable a plane, they were defending a “property, right or interest,” that they honestly believed was in need of protection.

28^th July 2004

The 5 ’Pitstop Ploughshares’ were once again in court in Dublin on Monday. They were once again, hoping to set a trial date, However, once again, to much frustration, this did not occur.

2^nd August 2004

A TP activist failed to challenge the legality of the Iraq War at Cupar Sheriff Court, as the Sheriff said that while her case was “emotive”, this was not a defence in Scots law. As such, the Sheriff found her guilty of criminal damage at RAF Leuchars base. The activist, who uses a wheelchair full time, had, along with another member of TP, broken into Leuchars on 10^th March 2003, as a last resort when it was thought that war on Iraq was about to begin the next day.

The activist was admonished on all charges, but ordered to pay £400 compensation to RAF Leuchars. Legal counsel withdrew on the day of the hearing, after explaining that since the Lord Advocate’s Reference (LAR) in 2000, campaigners no longer have a possible valid defence in Scots Law. Campaigners no longer had the same defence open to them as the one that had led to the acquittal of the ‘Trident 3’ for committing criminal damage. Without being able to use a defence of necessity, counsel said they could not find a possible winnable defence in Scots Law. However, Sheriff Evans agreed to let her state her “special defence”. She argued that the war led by the USA and UK was immoral and could not be justified, and that at the time of the action, the impending war threatened the lives of so many innocent civilians in Iraq. She argued that war on Iraq was illegal due to the absence of a second UN resolution. Both activists refused to pay fines for drawing attention to an illegal war, and so were later sentenced separately to 14 days each in jail.

4^th August 2004

Muriel Lesters TP affinity group outside the Lockheed Martin HQ in London. They leafleted and hung banners which particularly focused on the company’s leading part in developing a new generation of nuclear weapons at AWE Aldermaston.

9^th August 2004

To mark Nagasaki Day, 3 activists entered Faslane Base at 12.30am and remained inside the base for over 2 hours. The bandit alarm was triggered, shutting down work and closing all gates to the base, and causing a queue of traffic at the main gate for approximately 2 hours. Two of the activists were detected by the police inside the inner security area, and they remained situated between the fence and the razor wire until after 2.30am, when the police finally cut a hole through the weld mesh to reach the activists who were then arrested.

18^th August – 1^st September 2004

TP disarmament camp at Peaton Wood.

23^rd August 2004

Mass blockade of Faslane base. 70 arrests including 4 MSP’s. Two climbers scaled lamp-posts and hung across the main gate of the base a large banner reading “Nuclear Free Scotland”. The base was disrupted for almost 9 hours as gates cleared by police were blocked again by activists. Overnight, two Scandinavian TP activists swam into the high security berths where the Trident submarines are berthed and got 200 metres inside the boom before being apprehended.

27^th August 2004

3 Swedish TP activists swam into the top security berths at Faslane. One was arrested “no more than 15 metres from a Trident submarine in its berth beside the ship-lift.” The bandit alarm was set off for a brief time, which shuts down all work inside the base. This was the 2^nd time in 5 days that the top security berth area had been breached by activists. They were arrested inside the security boom. In total 8 activists were arrested that night inside the base including the swimmers.

31^st August 2004

4 TP members spray painted anti-nuclear slogans on the walls of the Faslane Naval Base “Media Reception Centre” at Rhu and then sat in the road blocking entrance to the site. This action brought the number of arrests for the disarmament camp to 95. Despite intense police surveillance during the TP camp, actions included blockading, breaking into and swimming into Faslane, and painting peace slogans on walls and buildings in order to expose the ugly nature of what goes on inside the base.

11^th October 2004

From 10 am till 3.30pm, a giant model of a Trident submarine blockaded the entrance to Downing Street with 28 submariners/TP activists inside, preventing vehicles from entering and leaving. Following a deal struck between the police and the activists, the sub was dismantled by the submariners rather than destroyed by the police. A letter was handed in for Tony Blair, calling on him to ensure that Britain will refuse to renew the 1958 nuclear cooperation pact (Mutual Defence Agreement – ’MDA’) with the US, and will comply fully with the obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (’NPT’), to take steps to engage in nuclear disarmament.

25^th October 2004

Jane Tallents at her Means Enquiry for a fine imposed for cutting Coulport fence, made a human rights challenge to the court and stood up for people with disabilities. She highlighted how provisions in the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) regarding access to public services, which applied to the court, had come into force on 1^st October. This gave additional strength to the entitlement under Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights to a fair and public hearing. Since the court was not accessible to people with disabilities, any hearing within it could not be said to be public. After an adjournment to consider the position the JP returned, and had decided the Means Enquiry was competent and went ahead.

27^th October 2004

6 TP activists who penetrated AWE Burghfield were allowed by the Magistrate to present their full arguments for why their action was legal under international law. Disappointingly, the Magistrate found them guilty on 23^rd November. They were sentenced to token fines.

29^th October 2004

Leading civil rights lawyers, Bindman and Partners, acting on behalf of TP activists, issued a formal request to the Defence Secretary, Geoff Hoon, for him to appear at their trial. The case relates to a citizen weapons’ inspection at Northwood Military Headquarters, carried out in April 2004. Central to the legal argument by the defence were the conditions under which the UK would start a nuclear war. Hence, Geoff Hoon was asked to appear as a witness following his explicit threats to launch a nuclear attack against Iraq from Trident Submarines.

5^th November 2004

Popular Caerphilly councillor and veteran anti-nuclear TP activist Ray Davies, was sentenced to 28 days in prison, for “wilful refusal” to pay fines of over £2000. The fines were incurred while taking various non-violent direct action at UK nuclear bases.

8^th November 2004

3 activists, 2 of them members of TP, locked on outside the entrance to the US Consulate in Edinburgh after handing in a letter. They believed that US forces were later that day about to embark on a major offensive against the city of Fallujah in Iraq. Later, when held in the cells they discovered the onslaught had gone ahead. Before locking on, they spilt blood red paint up the steps to the Consulate and on the columns to the doorway, and painted “Stop war on Iraq.”

13^th December 2004

TP activist and Scottish Socialist activist Morag Balfour added to the growing challenge facing Helensburgh District Court over it’s failure to make hearings accessible to people with disabilities. The courtroom is up a flight of stairs. Morag was at the court to enter a plea in relation to a charge of Breach of the Peace following a peaceful blockade at Faslane. As a wheelchair user, Morag asked if the court could come downstairs to her, but instead the Procurator Fiscal decided not to call her case. She responded by crawling out of her wheelchair and dragging herself up the stairs, despite this being a great effort and causing her bruising. She demanded that the court recognised her, but the JP said he could not do anything if the PF had decided not to call her case.

Earlier that day, 2 other activists appearing in court for a deferred sentence, also made a submission that the court was invalid in not being accessible. The European Convention on Human Rights and the Scotland Act of 1998 made it mandatory for court hearings to be held in public. The Disability Discrimination Act since October 2004 now made it unlawful for buildings offering public access to be inaccessible. The 2 activists said they could not take part in the hearing due to the court being inaccessible. The JP later went ahead as though the two were not there, and admonished them.

22^nd December 2004

4 TP activists Morag Balfour, Jean Oliver, David Nicholson, Barbara Dowling, in festive attire, blockade the main gate at Faslane for 2 hours. At their trial on 12/9/2005 JP Viv Dance, without explanation, pronounced all four not guilty. The accused believe the verdict was due to the weakness of the police evidence.

28^th December 2004

4 activists began to convert the front lawn of the Ministry of Defence building on Whitehall into a war cemetery in memory of the dead of the invasion and continuing occupation of Iraq. The action was carried out on the Feast of the Holy Innocents. On 6^th June 2005 they were found guilty of carrying out criminal damage, and were all given compensation orders, plus court costs, and a conditional discharge for 2 years.

2005

2^nd January 2005

Two 19 year old students breached high security at Faslane to highlight the annual cost of Trident, compared to the sum of aid promised by the British government to help the victims of the earthquake in Asia.

20^th January 2005

An MSP was sentenced to 7 days in prison for refusing to pay a fine for taking part in a blockade of Faslane naval base in February 2002. Because of the alleged offence, the activist was also under investigation by her professional body, the Council of Nursing and Midwifery, for “conduct unworthy of a midwife.”

2^nd February 2005

Strathclyde Police’s policy of mass and selective arrests at Faslane blockades was highlighted by the 2 day trial of activist Alan Wilkie. Alan argued that he was the subject of discrimination when police at the April 2003 blockade arrested him, but did not arrest a group whose conduct was identical to his. The group who were not arrested included MSP Tommy Sheridan and other candidates for the Scottish Parliament elections which were held the following week. Alan also argued that the basic criteria for a breach of the peace conviction, had not been met, as there was no evidence of the fact or likelihood of serious alarm and disturbance. On 30^th June, Alan won his appeal for the case to go to the Scottish High Court.

2^nd March 2005

5 anti-war activists barricaded themselves into the Irish Embassy in London for 2 ½ hours before being arrested. They were protesting against Irish support for the war in Iraq and demanding that the Irish government drop charges being held against the ’Pitstop Ploughshares’ for disarmament of US Navy Plane, refuelling at Shannon Airport, which was headed to Iraq.

10^th March 2005

A 25 foot model of a Trident nuclear weapon submarine blocked the street outside the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh for 14 hours, as a challenge to the Parliament to take a stand against Britain’s WMD. 15 people from TP and the Theatre of War group were locked on inside the submarine, and included MSP and TP pledger Rosie Kane. It took police 3 ¼ hours to remove very simple lock-ons. Inside the Parliament a motion of support for the protestors was tabled. On 16/12/2005, ten of the blockaders were each fined a hefty £300 in total, having been found guilty under the Roads (Scotland) Act with placing an obstruction in the roadway without reasonable excuse, and also of obstructing police officers who attempted to remove it.

14^th March 2005

In Dublin Circuit Court a mistrial was declared for the 5 activists in Pitstop Ploughshares when the judge discharged the jury. The 5 activists were faced with a possible 10 year sentence for causing criminal damage to a US Navy Warplane at Shannon Airport on February 3rd 2003.

16^th March 2005

MSP Rosie Kane was fined in court for a breach of the peace at a blockade of Faslane on August 23^rd. The JP’s decision to go for an automatic Supervised Attendance Order if the fine was not paid, was seen as a way of avoiding the publicity that the anti-Trident cause would attract should Rosie be sent to prison.

16^th April 2005

500 international activists, including some TP members, were arrested by police after a thousand gathered in Belgium to carry out a citizens nuclear weapons inspection as part of “Bombspotting XL”. The Bombspotting campaign was demanding that NATO becomes a nuclear free alliance. A massive police presence greeted inspectors at NATO HQ in Brussels,SHAPE (NATO military HQ) in Mons, Kleine Brogel airbase where 20 US nuclear weapons are stored, and a NATO satellite base in Gooik. All inspectors were held for an “administrative” arrest, and were released after a few hours.

9^th May 2005

Block the Builders blockaded the main construction entrance to AWE Aldermaston. This was at the same time as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) conference continued in New York. Referring to the construction work being carried out inside the base, Block the Builders stated, “We believe that these new developments will equip the UK to test, design and build new weapons which will violate the commitments under Article VI of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)”. Earlier that same week, the Independent revealed that Tony Blair had already decided to replace Trident with a new generation of nuclear deterrent. This was despite the rhetoric of the UK government in saying that it was committed to it’s obligations under the NPT.

13^th May 2005

Devonport camp. 12 TP members from the Tamarians affinity group and their supporters, occupied Drake’s Island in Plymouth Sound. The group demanded that the UK government scrap Trident and comply with the NPT. Additionally, those taking part were concerned with the tritium being discharged from the nuclear-fuelled Vanguard-class submarines at the Dockyard into the River Tamar.

20^th May 2005

Activists successfully blockaded Albert Gate leading in to Devonport Dockyard, for 3 hours.

7^th June 2005

To mark Faslane Peace Camp’s 23^rd birthday, and in gearing up for the G8 protests later that summer, 14 people breached security at Faslane. Amongst the activists, along with residents of camp, were members of TP, residents of Bilston Wood anti-bypass camp, and members of Talamh Housing Co-op, all working together. A loud petrol driven saw was used to gain entry to the main perimeter fence, and after everyone had ran through, the last activist, who was disabled, locked on across the hole to block it from police. Activists then went over razor wire using carpets. The base was closed for several hours while police rounded up activists inside. 2 activists breached the high security area by climbing a fence into berth 11 (the MoD denied this to the press). 2 others climbed up trees inside the perimeter fence of the base. One had climbed 30ft up a tree and he remained there overnight as the police were unable to coax him down. He held a banner saying “Faslane Peace Camp – 23 years of Resistance.” There was only local and brief press interest, and charges were dropped for all those concerned. The only action taken against the group was that a van belonging to a supporter was impounded. Fortunately, the van was given back just in time for the work of setting up camp for the Gleneagles G8 protests.

4^th July 2005

As part of the G8 protests, 2000 activists shut down Faslane by blockading all of the gates into the base from 7am to 5pm. In a change of police tactics towards mass blockades at the base, there was a policy not to arrest those who sat, laid or locked-on in the road. Base gates were shut all day, and the main A814 road running alongside the base was closed to traffic. The blockade was planned to coincide with the G8 summit that week, which was taking place at Gleneagles in Scotland. The blockade highlighted the links between poverty, war, militarism and destructive globalisation. The UK openly states that its nuclear weapons can be used to defend its economic interests.

4^th September 2005

3 activists, Morag Balfour, Jean Olive and Barbara Dowling were arrested after painting anti-Trident messages on the two official signs to the base which flank the entrance, and on the roadway, and on road signs around the entrance to the base. They were charged with malicious mischief.

7^th September 2005

RNAD Coulport blockaded for two hours. Workers traffic was prevented from entering entirely for an hour. 6 women Pippa Robertson, Jane Smith Carol Livingstone, Angie Zelter, Jane Tallents, Sue Hushing-Tree blockaded the main gate, and Andrew Simpson from Faslane Peace Camp blockaded the construction gate using a tripod. All were arrested.

17^th September 2005

Kate Holcombe and Ludd Appeltans scaled a communications mast in the middle of the main compound at Padworth Fuel Depot, near AWE Aldermaston, Berkshire. The depot is one of two main depots that form part of a nationwide network of military fuel lines involved in the storage and supply of fuels to the UK and US military in the UK. As such, the communications mast and the fuel depot is a vital part of the nuclear supply chain. The 2 activists hung huge banners from the mast, saying “Nukes Out” and “How many lives to the litre”, and continued to occupy the mast for 3 days. By this point a metal security fence had been built around the mast and private security guards brought in. The two did eventually come down from the mast, and voluntarily handed themselves in to the MoD, who said they would not be taking any action at this time.

24^th October 2005

10 activists were arrested at Rolls Royce, Raynesway in Derby in the morning whilst attempting to shut down the factory with a non-violent blockade. 40 activists congregated in spite of heavy rain. There was a heavy police presence and two section 14 orders were imposed, which only allowed legal protest between 7 and 11am. Rolls Royce makes the nuclear engines for Britain’s illegal Trident nuclear weapons system, and as such, their work is essential for Trident’s deployment.

2006

25^th January 2006

A West Berkshire Planning Committee decided not to object to plans for the “ORION” laser facility at AWE Aldermaston. Even though the development of ORION is of national and international significance and concern, the small local planning committee was the only forum available whereby objections to the ORION laser could be made. Development of new nuclear weapons totally undermines the UK’s responsibilities and commitments to disarm, made as part of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

30^th January 2006

In response to the news 5 days previously regarding ORION, about 50 people took part in blockading the gates at Aldermaston in order to stop construction work going ahead, as part of the Block the Builders campaign.

20^th February 2006

UK Law Lords begin a hearing of great importance for political activism as they decide whether a British court can rule on the criminality of a war started by a UK government. Lower courts have so far denied defendants this defence argument, saying that the alleged crime of attacking another country is a matter for international law, which cannot be ruled on in a British court.

13^th March 2006

Despite a massive police presence, including mounted police, around the AWE Aldermaston, Block the Builders (BtB) managed to interrupt the morning traffic entering the site. There were 6 arrests. The protest was held in advance of the Defence Select Committee’s opening session the following day, which was apparently being conducted to inform a decision on the future of the UK nuclear weapons. As far as BtB could see, that decision has already been made, and work had already started. TP supported and participated in the BtB campaign.

10^th April 2006

BtB chained the gates closed of “John Stacey” leaving vehicles unable to leave the site for 40mins. John Stacey is a haulage, site clearance and aggregate company, and one of the contractors working on a range of building projects at AWE Aldermaston. On 12^th June BtB targeted another company when they took their protest to “M+W Zander” in Chippenham, Wilts, who have a contract with AWE Aldermaston, and who designed plans for the ORION facility.

18^th – 21^st May 2006

Devonport Camp at Thancke’s Park, directly across the River Tamar from the Dockyard.

26^th June 2006

3 TP’ers cause disruption to morning shift at RNAD Coulport, by locking-on in the main gateway. The blockade went ahead in the week that the Defence Committee met to demand that ministers start preparing immediately to replace Trident. 3 blockaders were arrested and their driver.

30^th June 2006

Nuclear trains day of action went ahead with the aim of highlighting the transport by rail of the old, highly radioactive fuel rods from the Trident submarines being re-fitted in Devonport. The fuel rods are taken to Sellafield in Cumbria, passing through major urban areas. Affinity groups and their friends gave out leaflets and hung banners to raise awareness in Plymouth, Bristol, the West Midlands, the North West, and Glasgow.

10^th July 2006

10 people were arrested as part of Block the Builders (BtB) continuing campaign at AWE Aldermaston, to prevent new nuclear weapon facilities being built there. One gate was closed for 45 minutes. The police imposed an order under section 14 of the Public Order Act, preventing anyone from leaving before midday without seeking permission from the senior officer present. The senior officer refused to reveal the grounds on which he would release protestors. This raised concerns that protestors were suffering arbitrary detention as defined by the Human Rights Act. TP actively supported the BtB campaign.

25^th July 2006

A Dublin jury unanimously acquitted five anti-war protesters, including Scottish TP pledger Karen Fallon, who disarmed a US warplane in 2003. Known as the Pitstop Ploughshares, the 5 had damaged the US plane at Shannon airport in February 2003 to prevent it being used in the impending invasion of Iraq. Their acquittal came after three long years of waiting, three trials, and time spent in prison in Ireland, and even when released, being tied to strict bail conditions that left them unable to leave Ireland. Despite the majority of people being against the illegal war in Iraq, and despite Ireland being supposedly a neutral country, US warplanes flying to Iraq would stop at Shannon airport in order to refuel. The 5 called for this to cease immediately.

25^th July 2006

RNAD Coulport main gate blockaded for over 5 hours by 4 activists. They passed a lengthy statement to the police at the time of their arrest, which meant they could ask for it to be read out in full by the police witness when they came to trial.

5^th/6^th, 6^th/7^th, 7^th/8^th August 2006

August TP camp at Peaton Wood. Acting on knowledge that Prestwick airport was being used as a refuelling stop by the US in the transport of munitions to supply Israel in their invasion of Lebanon, a group of four, 3 of them TP’ers, broke into Prestwick airport to carry out a citizens inspection on the night of the 5^th August. Israel’s use of these munitions appeared likely to constitute a breach of International Laws, as they targeted innocent civilians in a disproportionate and indiscriminate manner. The UK could be seen as complicit in this crime, by providing services to the US military at Prestwick that were vital to the supply of munitions used in Israel’s invasion of Lebanon.

The group were inside Prestwick Airport for over 2 hours. After breaking in, they worked their way to the military area, and monitored the flights, of which, at that time there were several flights of Atlas Air cargo planes landing and taking off. One landing was followed by a fire engine. They knew that Atlas Air are part of the US Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF) and the activists had evidence suggesting that particular cargo planes operated by Atlas Air, and which were also individually listed as a part of CRAF, were at that time, being used to transport munitions to Israel. 2 activists got up the steps to the locked door of the plane concerned, and another in a wheelchair hung onto the bottom of the steps before they were all arrested.

Their action was the first of three consecutive nights of organised citizens’ inspections at the airport. On the night of the 6^th, seven TP’ers break into Prestwick. They split into 2 groups and one group board a USAF Hercules C130. On the night of the 7^th, another group of 5 inspectors from TP broke into the airport and managed to board the same plane that had been inspected the night before. An examination of the cargo area found no ordinance. Following the inspections, a NOTAM (notice to airmen) was issued by the US Department of Defence to military air personnel, to advise them not to use Prestwick for at least 3 months whilst a thorough review of security took place.

9^th August 2006

As part of TP camp and to mark Nagasaki day two activists painted peace slogans on the roadside walls of a railway bridge close to the main entrance of Faslane. On 3^rd August, two other TP’ers had painted a large rock near the perimeter fence at Faslane. In each case they were arrested.

11^th September 2006

2 MoD Police stated in court, when they stood as witnesses for the Crown, that they did not know the function of the base that they guard – the base being RNAD Coulport. The trial was for 2 activists charged with cutting the perimeter fence at Coulport.

21^st September 2006

3 activists do a banner drop from the roof of Lockheed Martin’s UK HQ in London. Others gave out leaflets to the public, providing information on the role the company has in developing a replacement for Trident.

23^rd September 2006

10 TP’ers joined a mass citizens inspection organised by a coalition of NGOs,

when they crossed a ” forbidden zone ” and entered a French nuclear installation at the testing centre of Les Landes in Biscarosse near Bordeaux. The centre is involved in the development of a new generation of nuclear weapons, particularly “mini nukes”.

1^st October 2006 – 30^th September 2007

Faslane 365 is launched. There were 131 blockading groups and 1,150 arrests during the year long protest against the Trident nuclear weapons system based at Faslane. Faslane 365 was an attempt to blockade Faslane base every day for a year. It called upon a wide range of local, national and international groups from all sections of civil society to come to Faslane and take part. Participation in Faslane 365 enabled people to witness, as well as obstruct, the Trident nuclear base where the UK’s nuclear weapons are deployed, and at the same time express a range of serious concerns that people consider to be the real vital challenges for the 21st century – such as climate change. The founders of Faslane 365 were all TP members. Other TP members also took part in various blockades. On 10^th July 2008, the book “Faslane 365”, edited by Angie Zelter was published, about the background to the whole year long protest. “From the history of Trident and investigations of international law to police involvement and living conditions “Faslane 365” provides a unique inside view of campaigning on this vital issue.”

11^th November 2006

On Remembrance Day, Georgina Smith and Helen John painted “Genocide”, “NO More War Crimes”, “No Upgrade”, “Respect the War Dead”, “Art, Law, Morality”, “NO SOCPA Sec 28” and “No Cluster Bombs” in black paint on the outer sandstone walls of the High Court building on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. This was in protest at the High Court’s complicity in the UK’s illegal deployment of Trident nuclear weapons by ruling in the Lord Advocate’s Reference of 2000 that the Maytime Three had no justification for their action. This is despite the legal opinion of the International Court of Justice in 1996, which was unable to find any situation in which the threat or use of nuclear weapons would be lawful. In addition, their action condemned the Scottish legal system for holding people who blockaded during the Faslane 365 campaign for up to thirty hours, before releasing them without charge.

11^th December 2006

As part of ‘Faslane 365’, the two main gates at Faslane were blockaded. It took 2 hours to clear the roadway, and there were 21 arrests. Simultaneously, the Home Office gate at AWE Aldermaston was blockaded as part of the Block the Builders campaign, causing long tailbacks in workers traffic.

20^th December 2006

2 TP’ers were arrested for Malicious Mischief outside the Coulport base after conducting a brief vigil and painting anti-Trident graffiti.

2007

23^rd January 2007

8 activists from Scotland, including members of Trident Ploughshares, and residents of Faslane Peace Camp, used steel lock-on tubes to block the road to the main construction gate at AWE Aldermaston. Construction traffic was blocked from entering and leaving the site and caused a large tailback in site workers traffic, with police having to turn trucks away from the site. The activists say they were acting in response to the Government’s White Paper published in Dec 2006 in which it confirmed its intention to replace the Trident submarine fleet and outlined proposals for replacing the current Trident missiles. The massive construction work being undertaken at AWE Aldermaston at this time pointed to the Government having already made the decision to go ahead, prior to a full public and parliamentary debate. The action was carried out as part of Block the Builders Campaign.

8^th February 2007

As part of Faslane 365 campaign, 8 activists from TP blocked the South gate to Faslane for about 3 hours from 7.15 a.m. with concrete lock-ons.

12^th February 2007

A group of around 50 anti-nuclear campaigners from Block the Builders participated in blockades and protests outside AWE Aldermaston. Roads were closed for 1 hour and 10 mins whilst specialist police teams cut out protesters. Cranes and other construction traffic were prevented from entering the site while the blockade was in progress. The action forms part of an ongoing campaign of non-violent resistance to new facilities being developed at the Aldermaston, which will facilitate the next generation of nuclear weapons. Campaigners stress how work on the new Orion laser has started, despite the fact that a vote on the future of the UK’s nuclear weapons system is not due until March, and they feel that the decision to recommit Britain to a further 50 years as a nuclear weapons state is being made without public consultation. Block the Builders was supported by TP.

14^th March 2007

Concurrent demonstrations took place at Faslane, at the Scottish Parliament and Parliament Square involving people from TP. Four people, mainly students taking part in Faslane 365, were arrested after blocking the entrance to Faslane, while nine people were arrested for blocking the road in Parliament Square in London. Those in Parliament Square were campaigners in Block the Builders and the Aldermaston Womens Peace Camp. They blockaded the Square by locking on to concrete barrels. Meanwhile, five people from Faslane Peace Camp were arrested after unfurling a banner which read “Whatever They Vote Trident is Still Wrong”, on the Scottish Parliament building. The demonstrations connected together to oppose the present Trident system and any upgrade as the government prepares to decide whether to commit the UK to build a new generation of nuclear weapons.

4^th April 2007

Two teams of peoples Nuclear Weapons Inspectors sought to investigate the London HQ of six corporations involved in making Nuclear Weapons Systems. The companies focussed on were:

Serco, BNFL, and Lockheed Martin, who jointly manage AWE Aldermaston, BAE Systems who build submarines; Rio Tinto who mine uranium; Raytheon who build nuclear missiles; Rolls Royce who make the nuclear propulsion plants for Trident subs.

Each corporation was served with a document outlining the terms of the days inspection, in line with those to which Iraq was required to submit prior to the 2003 invasion. The only two companies willing to co-operate with the inspectors were Rolls Royce and Rio Tinto, who had slick PR reps.

The work on planning to replace or upgrade Trident puts the UK Government and the corporations in material breach of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), in force since 1970 and to which the UK is a signatory.

10^th April 2007

At least 11 people were arrested while attempting to block access to the AWE Aldermaston in order to disrupt the days construction work of a multimillion pound development project at the site. Some roads around the site were blocked for nearly an hour. The protesters claim that the new developments being built on the site are for the development of new nuclear weapons. This shows that the decision to renew Britain’s nuclear weapons was made years before the parliamentary vote the previous month.

10^th August 2007

Ayr Sheriff acquits 7 Prestwick protestors, due to inadequacies in the Crown case. The activists, along with another group before them, and a third group after them, had carried out inspections of Prestwick Airport on the night of the 6th/7th August last year. Prior to this, a prominent expert witness testified that collusion in war crime was relevant to the context of the trial. Paul Rogers, Professor of Peace Studies at Bradford University told the court that war crime by Israel was very much an issue at the time of the incident at the airport. Israel had been breaching international law by targeting its air strikes in Lebanon at areas and installations liable to contain civilians. They had asked the US for an emergency top-up supply of bombs. US planes delivering these armaments would need a fuel stop-over in the UK, and Prestwick was one of the options.

13^th April 2007

Twenty-two TP activists using heavy “lock-on” tubes shut down all three gates at Faslane on the Clyde today for more than two hours, as part of the on-going Faslane 365 year-long blockade in opposition to Trident nuclear weapons. In the wake of the government’s decision in March to procure the next generation of Trident, Faslane 365 is determined to keep the pressure on, because the Trident nuclear weapons system is illegal and immoral: and should be scrapped, not renewed.

23^rd April 2007

10 activists from Scotland, who were either members of TP or residents of Faslane Peace Camp, were arrested for shutting 3 gates at AWE Aldermaston. TP activist Matt Bury sat on top of the Home Office gate in order to keep it shut with Anna-Linnea Rundberg and another person locked to the gate. At Tadley gate, six people were locked-on in the roadway preventing vehicles from leaving or arriving. A third (Construction) gate, was also locked shut. The action was in support of the Block the Builders Campaign and was in order to disrupt the multimillion pound development of a replacement for Britain’s Trident Nuclear Weapons.

16^th September 2007

Late in the evening, activists went to Balloch to try to stop a nuclear warhead convoy which was making it’s return journey from RNAD Coulport to Berkshire. Several were apprehended by police when trying to get into the road. One TP activist, who’s disabled, then managed to stop the convoy, which came to a slow gradual halt when she flagged down the first carrier at a pedestrian crossing. She went on the ground, and police had to lift her to clear the roadway and to get her back in her wheelchair.

16^th October 2007

3 TP activists who entered Prestwick Airport as weapons inspectors during the August 2006 war in Lebanon learned that the Ayr Procurator Fiscal decided to withdraw the charges, after “further consideration of the evidence”. The 3 were due to face trial at the end of the month accused of breaching the Civil Aviation Act. Out of the 17 people originally charged, the Crown were only able to obtain two convictions.

The case also touched on another vitally important issue: the impossible contradiction between the constitutional law which does not permit the Scottish Parliament to enact any law on matters reserved to the Westminster Parliament, and the International Criminal Court (Scotland) Act 2001 which allows for the prosecution of those suspected of war crimes. Consequently, the ICC Act has no power over war crimes when those crimes are ordered or committed by Westminster, as aviation is a reserved matter.

19^th October 2007

As part of a protest, a bodybag was dumped on doorstep of nuclear bomb makers Lockheed Martin. Five activists from Muriel Lesters TP affinity group then leafleted and engaged the public, displaying banners and placards, and highlighting they were outside the UK HQ’s of Lockheed Martin. Muriel Lesters hold regular protests outside Lockheed Martin HQ, particularly each Christmas, and inform the public of the company’s role in the Trident nuclear weapons system. The Muriel Lesters returned to leaflet again on 23/10/2007, and vowed to visit again soon.

22^nd October 2007

Activists were stopped and searched by Derbyshire Police on their way to hand out anti-Trident leaflets at the Rolls Royce plant in Derby. Everyone was searched, as were their vehicles. Names and addresses were taken, and activists were photographed before being corralled by police and told they would be arrested if they handed out leaflets at the gates of the Rolls Royce plant. The leaflets were to warn Derby’s Rolls Royce workers that they were breaching international law by working on Trident’s nuclear reactor system, and could be prosecuted under war crimes legislation for their part in manufacturing components for the Trident weapons system.

2008

28^th April 2008

Blockade of Rolls Royce at Derby in protest at its continued production of reactor cores for Trident. All traffic was excluded from the site for 1 ½ hours, and the main gate was blocked for 5 ½ hours. 10 arrests were made. On 28/10/2008, 8 activists were found not guilty after presenting evidence showing that the Rolls Royce land they were on, may form part of the public highway. Two other protestors who had blocked a second gate were found guilty.

19^th June 2008

5 TP’ers blockaded Faslane North gate, to mark 1 year since the Scottish Government voted not to support having nuclear weapon based in Scotland. All 5 were arrested and included Janet Fenton, Irene Willis, Penny Stone and Matt Bury. Janet said, “We chose

today because it is one year since the Scottish Government voted NOT to support Gordon Brown’s plan to foist illegal, immoral and unaffordable nuclear weapons on Scotland for another 50 years. Along with the majority of people in Scotland, we don’t want them here or anywhere else”.

6^th August 2008

To mark Hiroshima Day, Sylvia Boyes and Erica Wilson attempted to hinder activities at the RAF Fylingdales, the Ballistic Missile Early Warning Station in North Yorkshire. They cut the fence and attempted to enter the base near the MIL STAR and SAT COM installations to prevent them operating, and used red paint to symbolise the bloodshed threatened by US military policy. They stressed how RAF Fylingdales represents a new era in global militarism. The pair were arrested for criminal damage. Sylvia was sentenced to 150 hours “community punishment”, and on 18/12/2008 she was sentenced to 3 months’ imprisonment at HMP New Hall, West Yorkshire for her refusal to undertake “community punishment.”

27^th October 2008

TP had called for a major blockade of AWE Aldermaston near Reading during UN World Disarmament Week. The blockade was supported by CND, Block the Builders and Aldermaston Women’s Peace Camp. Hundreds attended and 33 arrests were made, mostly for Obstruction of the Highway. A variety of tactics was used to prevent vehicles getting into the factory gates. These included people super-gluing hands together and themselves to the ground, as well as people locking themselves to blocks of concrete and tripod structures.

18^th December 2008

Jacobs Engineering agreed to buy from British Nuclear Fuels plc (BNFL) a one-third stake in AWE ML, the consortium which operates the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) on behalf of the Ministry of Defence. As such TP have threatened direct action against the company.

2009

3^rd February 2009

Trident Ploughshares was one of three organisations that planned and organised the successful “Trident and International Law: Scotland’s Obligations” Conference held in Edinburgh on this day. Around 45 lawyers, MSPs, civil servants and peace activists attended the conference to learn and exchange ideas about international law and Trident from an International and Scottish perspective. The conference was organised by Janet Fenton, member of TP and then co-ordinator of Edinburgh Peace and Justice Centre, Angie Zelter of TP, and Dr Rebecca Johnson of the Acronym Institute or Disarmamnet Diplomacy.

4^th April 2009

Six members and supporters of TP joined over 200 protesters from a dozen countries in the five-hour NATO-ZU / “Shut down NATO” non-violent blockade of NATO’s 60th anniversary conference. The activists blocked a main road into the red zone around the conference centre where NATO was meeting. There were no arrests. The activists included Daniel Viesnik, Matt Bury, Mell Harrison, and Angie Zelter. At the same time, other groups of 500 and 700 activists blocked other main roads into the red zone.

29^th April 2009

Campaigners call for immediate UK compliance with International Law on nuclear weapons. TP wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Gordon Brown reminding him of Britain’s legal obligations to disarm its nuclear weapons, ahead of next month’s Preparatory Committee in New York for the 2010 Review Conference of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

15^th June 2009

AWE Aldermaston blockade. 5 gates were all successfully blockaded at one point, and 3 gates were blockaded for 2 to 3 hours. There were 11 arrests. Car lock-ons were used at 2 of the gates, and a caravan at another. All were charged with wilful obstruction of the highway, either with or without a motor vehicle, and all were given stiff bail conditions to stay away from Aldermaston and Burghfield that some of the activists went onto challenge in court.

17^th August 2009

Five activists walked unchallenged straight into Faslane naval base. Brian Larkin, Sylvia Boyes, Penny Stone, Angie Zelter, and Mary Millington were charged with criminal trespass under the Serious Organised Crime and Police (SOCPA) Act 2005 s.128 and under the Ministry of Defence byelaws (entry to the base without authority). They handed out a letter calling on everyone within the base to join with them in beginning disarming Trident. Their letter stated: “It is the presence of Trident submarines … which constitutes a serious organized crime.”

17^th November 2009

“We Will Not Be Silent” – TP activists disrupt NATO parliamentary assembly. 6 TP activists occupied a secure area of the main entrance of the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) which had been roped off for VIP’s only. They managed to maintain position for 15 mins despite the heavy police response. The activists chose this time in the morning as knew it would affect Parliamentarians from NATO countries who were meeting for the final session of the assembly. The action was also timed to coincide with speeches by the Foreign Secretary David Milliband and the Secretary General of NATO, Anders Fogh Rasmussen who were due to speak following a minute’s silence. The protesters wore shirts showing images of wounded and traumatized Afghan children, graphically demonstrating the fact that NATO’s war in Afghanistan is killing innocent civilians and traumatizing children in violation of international law. They recited the names of Afghan civilians who have died since the war began. The protesters called for an immediate moratorium on drone and air strikes, the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, investment in humanitarian aid, disarmament of NATO nuclear weapons, and a halt to the expansion of NATO. All 6 were arrested, 5 held overnight, but all charges later were dropped.

20^th November 2009

In a protest jointly organised with Helensburgh CND, TP activists protested at the arrival of the first Astute Class submarine. As the sub sailed through the Rhu Narrows, activists held a banner reading “Disarm the Seas”. Jane Tallents explained the integral role in the Trident system that these subs play in escorting the nuclear armed subs as they enter and leave Faslane. Jane explains, “It is more heavily armed than previous hunter-killer submarines. Moreover the nuclear reactor on board Astute poses a risk to the people living in the West of Scotland in the event of any major accident. Even the routine operation of the Trafalgar and Trident submarines has led to ongoing leaks of radiation. Astute will produce a new radioactive waste stream at a time when there is still no adequate storage and disposal plan for the current submarines.”

10^th December 2009

Nuclear weapons manufacturer, Lockheed Martin, had it’s central London office subject to a festive protest on UN’s Human Rights Day. TP affinity group the Muriel Lesters, serenaded employees of the company with festive tunes adapted in order to call for a suspension of work on existing nuclear warheads, and to call for a halt to work to build new facilities at AWE Aldermaston for the development of a new generation of nuclear weapons.

2010

15^th February 2010

Up to 800 anti-nuclear campaigners joined a blockade of AWE Aldermaston. Every gate was closed by blockaders in the course of the morning. Twenty-six arrests were reported, for suspicion of criminal trespass (for entering the site) and highway obstruction. Those taking part included Nobel Peace Prize laureates Jody Williams, from Vermont, USA and Máiread Corrigan-Maguire, from Belfast, Northern Ireland, both of whom blockaded. Also present were the Catholic bishop of Brentwood, Thomas McMahon; the Anglican bishops Stephen Cottrell (Reading), Mike Hill (Bristol) and Peter Price (Bath and Wells); Jill Evans MEP, Vice President of Plaid Cymru and chair of CND Cymru (Wales); and Kate Hudson, chair of CND.

6^th April 2010

11 TP members blockade Faslane. This followed a symbolic blockade of the North Gate at Faslane 3 days earlier, to mark the European Day of Action to ban nuclear weapons. The activists stated that they felt the need to send a more serious message, and so returned to exercise their civic responsibility under International Law, to do what they can to stop the work of preparing and maintaining WMD’s. “At this time of year we reassert our message of Easter, that love is more powerful than hate, and life is more powerful than death.”

3^rd June 2010

Six members of TP protested silently inside the lobby of the Westminster Parliament for 2 hours, calling upon the incoming government to honour its disarmament commitments by scrapping the Trident nuclear missile system and its planned replacement, and signing up to a Nuclear Weapons Convention. They revealed T-shirts with the slogans “Disarm Nuclear Weapons Now” and “Scrap Trident Replacement” and stood so that passing MPs and members of the public could read them.

6^th June 2010

TP co-organised a (very damp) “walk on the moors” at RAF Fylingdales, on the North Yorkshire Moors with Yorkshire CND to raise awareness of the key role of the U.S Ballistic Missile Early Warning Station in any future nuclear war. The police presence was overwhelming despite prior police liaison.

6^th September 2010

Around 20 members and supporters of TP joined a blockade and protest at one of the gates to AWE Aldermaston during the morning’s rush hour in protest at plans to build a new multi-million pound warhead testing facility at the site. 4 activists chained themselves together with arm tubes and lay down in front of the gate for two and a half hours, but released themselves without any being arrested shortly after 9am. This was the final day of a 4 day gathering in Reading hosted by TP. The gathering focused on ongoing warhead developments at AWE Aldermaston and Burghfield, and particularly the planned ‘Project Hydrus’ which is part of an ongoing £1 billion-a-year modernisation programme at AWE, including the Orion laser, an enriched uranium handling facility, and three new super-computers. Participants joined other anti-nuclear groups to collect 250 objections to the Project Hydrus application.

6^th October 2010

Immediately after being fined £500 pounds for a non-violent protest against Trident, 2 TP members painted inside the Dumbarton court building, their judgement against the Court for its failure to uphold international law. Barbara Dowling painted “This JP Court does not uphold international law” in red paint at the top of the steps in the newly renovated court building. Meanwhile, Janet Fenton, painted out the brass plaque outside the front door, changing it from reading “Justice of the Peace Court” to read “We Want A Peace Court”. Janet and Barbara were held in custody for court the next morning. They were sentenced on 19^th March 2012, with Barbara being given 3 months in prison, and Janet, 120 hours Community Service.

1^st November 2010

14 people were arrested for participating in the TP big blockade day of action at Devonport Dockyard, Plymouth. The blockade at the main entrance at Camels Gate Head began at 5am, and was not cleared until 9.45 a.m., four and a half hours after it began. The activists used a number of blockading methods including attaching themselves to a car and joining themselves together with metal arm tubes and super-glue.

2011

26^th January 2011

Georgina Smith, aged 81, was sentenced to 45 days imprisonment in HMP Cornton Vale by Fort William Sheriff Court to for refusing to comply with a £3000 compensation order for damage for painting the sandstone wall of the Edinburgh High Court in Scotland in 2006, during the year-long Faslane 365 campaign (see Nov 2006 for more details). She was released on 7^th February, ten days early after an anonymous benefactor paid the compensation order that she had refused to pay.

1^st February 2011

Launch of the new book “Trident and International Law: Scotland’s Obligations” at Scottish Parliament, hosted by Bill Kidd MSP The book is edited by Rebecca Johnson and Angie Zelter, and developed out of the Edinburgh Conference on Trident and International Law, held on 3 February 2009. Both events were organized jointly by the Acronym Institute for Disarmament Diplomacy, The Edinburgh Peace and Justice Centre, and Trident Ploughshares. The book looks at the relationship between nuclear weapons and Scottish and international law and demonstrates where the Lord Advocates Reference of 2000 (LAR) went wrong.

3^rd February 2011

Sylvia Boyes, who has been sent to prison on numerous occasions for anti-trident protests, was once again sent to jail for 14 days for refusal of paying a fine. Sylvia said, “To use Trident as a threat of murder and destruction (deterrence) is to dehumanise people and create enemies. I believe in a common humanity. I cannot accept this violent means of successive government’s policies. In a world where there is so much hunger and poverty, to misuse resources on nuclear weapons is a crime in itself. In no way can the causes of very real conflicts be dealt with by the threat of murder and destruction. Nor can our security be maintained by such threats.”

10^th May 2011

Four members of Trident Ploughshares blocked the North Gate of Faslane for 2 and a half hours while six Peace Campers blocked the South Gate for 4 hours. Just four days after the Scottish elections, the activists called for the anti-Trident SNP government to fulfil its commitments and demand immediate disarmament of Trident and a global ban on nuclear weapons. They also handed in a letter calling on the Commander of the base to comply with international law and cease the deployment of Trident. They included copies of the Advisory Opinion of the ICJ, and the opinions of Judges Bedjaoui and Weeramantry, and Judge Bedjaoui’s statement confirming the illegality of the deployment of a nuclear weapons system consisting of even one 100 Kt warhead. They received a reply from the Commodore Mike.P.Wareham, Royal Navy Naval Base Commander who explained why he did not accept the assertions made in the TP members letter over the legality of Trident.

16^th June 2011

TP joins the “Stop New Nuclear Alliance” who were planning a mass blockade of Hinkley nuclear power station on October 3^rd

23^rd August 2011

TP members travel to Sweden to take part in action against NATO. The action aimed to expose the hidden role of the massive Northern European Aero Testing (NEAT) range in the preparation for wars.

2012

30^th January 2012

Angie Zelter, founder-member of TP, was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Mairead Maguire, who won the award in 1976.

26^th February 2012

TP is among a number of international groups and individuals who are supporting villagers in their fight to stop the building of a US nuclear base on Jeju, the South Korean “Island of Peace”.TP member Angie Zelter went to Jeju to support villagers in their fight and wrote regular reports during the month she stayed there. The new base, just 300-miles from the Chinese mainland, will become a port for U.S. Navy Aegis destroyers fitted with the missile defence systems that are key elements in Pentagon first-strike attack planning. Gangjeong village and endangered soft-coral reefs will be destroyed to build the base. Angie said, “The villagers have been resisting this US base for over 5 years now, trying to keep their village intact and their island an island for peace not war.” Prof’ Dave Webb, Chair of CND said, ““Jeju Island has been designated as a World Heritage site by UNESCO – as such it is the concern of all of us. We cannot allow the military to destroy such a unique resource. Jeju is a beautiful Island, once the scene of a massacre of some 30,000 islanders by their own government. It was named “Peace Island” to commemorate its tragic past…”

5^th March 2012 – Nearly 700 police arrived from the mainland in Gangjeong village to monitor the blasting of Gureombi, the volcanic rock coastline, and the dredging of the sea floor. Not only will the marine life, including endangered crabs and coral reefs, be swept away, the blast has already impacted the fresh water springs that the majority of the island is dependent upon.

9^th March 2012 – Angie is arrested with others for getting through fence and into the construction site at Gangjeong.

12^th March 2012 – Angie is again arrested. In order to help people enter the Gureombi rock area, Angie cut holes along a length of razor wire, which she had to do in full view of the police. Angie later explained to immigration officers that she was upholding international law and trying to prevent preparations for war crimes and crimes against peace. She also explained that the razor wire was preventing villagers from their lawful access to a sacred site, and that she was supporting them.

10 – 11^th March 2012

TP members took part in the “No New Nukes action” at Hinkley Point. Around 1000 people converged on Hinkley Point to mark one year since the earthquake, the tsunami and the start of the Fukushima nuclear crisis in Japan, and to demand that the UK abandon its plans for new nuclear power stations at Hinkley, and up to seven other sites in England and Wales. Following a rally and a ’Surround the Power Station’ action, there was a 24hr blockade, which was said to be the first ever of a nuclear power station in the UK. Police adopted a largely ’hands off’ approach to the weekend’s demonstrations.

1^st April 2012

Seven TP members joined over 800 European peace activists, to protest about NATO’s warmongering policies outside the western military alliance’s headquarters in Brussels. The activists formed themselves into non-violent humanitarian intervention teams with the purpose of entering and shutting down NATO HQ. This was carried out with the strong belief that NATO must disband, as any military alliance that globally wages war, deploys nuclear weapons and is prepared to use them in a first strike, is a danger for world peace. None of the TP team managed to make it over the fence, but around 20 others did make it, to be met by police dogs and more police. 483 activists were arrested and were made to sit in long lines with their hands tied behind, and between each others legs so they could not move. Charges were unlikely to be brought to court as it would overwhelm their legal system.

9^th May 2012

Around 60 people gathered outside the South Korean Embassy in London in solidarity with the non-violent resistance to the building of a naval base in Gangjeong village in Jeju. Three people went to meet with Mr. I.M. Byungho, the Consul/1st Secretary inside the Embassy for about 40 mins. He was very dismissive and said his Government’s intention was to protect its people using military tactics, which was their right, and that the Ambassador has no right or power to ask the Government to change its policies.

2^nd July 2012

Nine activists, some from Faslane Peace Camp and others in TP, attempted to enter the base at Faslane. Some were stopped just at or inside the gate, but four activists slipped past guards and got well inside the base, hiding in shrubs and wooded areas and under sheds, eluding base police for about 30 mins. All those who entered the base have been charged under Military By-Laws and SOCPA (Serious Organised Crime and Police Act). Faslane was locked down and traffic prevented from entering the base for 45 mins. The action was part of the Peace Camp’s 30 Days of Action, marking 30 years of the camp’s continuous resistance to nuclear weapons at Faslane. The action day followed an afternoon of singing and dancing on Sunday. There had been thirty arrests between 9^th June and this day.

25^th July 2012

Following news that the SNP were discussing a leadership motion to change party policy from an anti-Nato to a pro-Nato stance, TP instigated the formation of the “No to NATO Coalition”. The purpose of the coalition is to share and raise public understanding and concern about joining Nato, and to act in solidarity with SNP members and activists who share the coalitions views. The initial meeting of the coalition was followed on the 9^th August by a “Die In” outside the SNP’s Headquarters in Edinburgh.

2013

3^rd February 2013

2 TP members, Sylvia Boyes and Mary Millington were arrested for attempting to enter Faslane, home to the UK’s nuclear submarines. They were found guilty and admonished on 24^th September 2013.

8^th February 2013

A group of 4 TP activists, David McKenzie, Jane Tallents, Brian Larkin and Janet Fenton, met with Bruce Crawford at Scottish Parliament to hand in submissions from TP, Nukewatch, and other groups in response to the Scottish governments response to the report of the Working Group on a Future of Scotland without Nuclear Weapons. They also handed in an open letter to the First Minister as a follow-up to the Scottish Government’s response to the Working Group’s report.

27^th February 2013

Action AWE (Atomic Weapons Eradication) was launched at Reading, as a grassroots peace campaign of autonomous groups (including TP) taking non-violent action to halt nuclear warhead production at AWE Aldermaston and Burghfield, and to advocate for a global treaty banning nuclear weapons. The campaign was founded by members of TP.

11^th March 2013

2 years after the Fukushima nuclear power station disaster, a TP affinity group, the Muriel Lesters, and Kick Nuclear, Japanese Against Nuclear & CAAT, again demonstrated outside the London headquarters of Lockheed Martin.

1^st April 2013

Angie Zelter visits Marabá, Pará, Brazil, from 31st March to 6th April 2013, on behalf of TP, as part of a 3 person Right Livelihood Award (RLA) delegation. They went to express solidarity with two other RLA laureates – the Landless Workers Movement (MST) – and the Pastoral Land Commission (CPT). The MST had had 2 of their leaders murdered in the previous 2 months. Shortly after the murder of MST leader Cícero Guedes, news arrived that his colleague Regina dos Santos Pinho, an MST activist working in the same area, was found dead in her home. The CPT had had their offices attacked 3 times that year and their leaders had received death threats. The RLA sent the delegation of Laureates to Rio to express solidarity, investigate recent events and to demand justice and better protection of activists. At a press conference a board member of the RLA spoke about the importance of international solidarity to highlight human rights abuses and apply pressure to prevent impunity. Three men were being tried in Marabà for the murders of José and Maria Cláudio in 2011, and Angie attended some of the trial. She was told that it was only because of immense public pressure that this trial was taking place at all, and that it was very unusual for the police to have arrested suspects, and for them to be brought to trial.

12^th April 2013

Joint letter to Alex Salmond from TP, and the Scrap Trident Coalition, and the Edinburgh Peace and Justice Centre, highlighting that although the campaigns are very pleased to hear that SNP supports a constitutional ban on nuclear weapons should Scotland achieve independence, unlike the SNP, those writing remain opposed to any future involvement with NATO, and support calls for for deep reductions in military budgets.

8th July 2013

10 members of TP and supporters of Action AWE locked-on with thumb locks, pipes and a wheelchair blocking the road to the main entrance of Atomic Weapons Establishment Burghfield for almost 3 hours from 7 am. It was a very hot sunny day with temperatures up to 28 C. The blockaders were mostly older people and included people with disabilities.

16^th July 2013

TP condemned the Liberal Democrats Alternatives to Trident Review for missing the only logical option : full scale disarmament.

6^th – 9^th August 2013

Two members of Trident Ploughshares (Angie Zelter and Julia Mercer) took part in a fast at AWE Burghfield from Hiroshima day to Nagasaki day as part of the Action AWE campaign. They were able to camp right outside the main gate of AWE Burghfield for the 4 days.

25th August – 7th September 2013

TP Disarmament Camp at AWE Burghfield, in support of Action AWE. The camp was set up right next to the AWE fence, close to the main gate, and on MoD land. The disarmament camp was a protest in, and of itself, and not just a place providing accommodation. The police informed activists that they were camping on MoD bye-law protected land, and that they would be charged with breaking the bye-laws if they did not leave immediately, which could entail a maximum fine of £500, (in fact, if this had ever gone to court and people were found guilty – debatable -, the likely fine would have been about £50). The activists refused to move, but many gave their names and addresses when asked to do so, welcoming a chance to have a court hearing. At the height of the camp there were around 95 people camping, plus an indeterminate number visiting. The local Church of England Minister visited for prayers for peace and disarmament, and people in Burghfield village itself offered help and support. Pink “No Trident Replacement” graffiti mysteriously appeared on nearby roads. There was a “nearly naked” protest to expose Britain’s nuclear bombs, and knitting to contribute to the Wool Against Weapons scarf which was to stretch for the whole 7 miles distance between AWE Aldermaston and Burghfield, in August the following year.

2^nd September 2013

As part of a two week camp by TP and Action AWE, activists from all over Europe blockaded the two gates of AWE Burghfield. The base was completely locked down for several hours as the police struggled to cut out the protesters. The Scots affinity group locked on across a bridge a few hundred metres from the “Construction Gate”. They arrived only seconds before a police van and locked on quickly. It took more than 2 hours for the MOD “cutting team” to cut the group out of their lock-ons. There were 22 arrests in all. A local catholic monastery offered sanctuary to the English and Scottish activists, who were charged with highway obstruction and bailed off site until their hearing on 19th September.

22^nd September 2013

With a bold banner drop from the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, and with singing and wearing tabards bearing the message “Trident No, Scotland Yes”, and with the backdrop of Edinburgh Castle, TP got across their message of support for Scottish Independence and Trident disarmament, during the ‘YES’ campaign march.

3^rd October 2013

TP congratulates Welsh Dragons on their blockade of AWE Aldermaston. 50 activists from Wales blockaded the base, calling for the Trident nuclear weapons system to be scrapped and plans to replace it to be cancelled.

30^th November 2013

A group of TP members went to Edinburgh Castle on St Andrews Day, and dropped a banner with the message “Scotland Yes, Trident No” from the highest parapet, before standing in a line, each holding a large letter, which on one side read “Scotland Yes”, and on the other, “Trident No”. The demonstration was a response to the launch of the Scottish government’s white paper on independence. One of the activists said, “We wanted to send a message that a vote for independence is a vote against nuclear weapons. We support the Scottish government’s call for getting rid of Trident and a constitutional ban on nuclear weapons.” TP saw the vote in September as the very best chance for ridding Scotland of WMD. Such a move would also most likely mean that the UK as a whole would have to abandon nuclear weapons, and this would be a huge spur to worldwide disarmament.

2014

19^th January 2014

10 TP activists converged at the pedestrian precincts in Glasgow outside the Royal Concert Hall, where a small group of people each held a placard. Together, the placards read “Trident NO”, and on the flip side it read, “Scotland YES”. Later in the evening they continued handing leaflets to Celtic Connections concert goers.

8^th February 2014

TP was one of the largest groups supporting Action AWE in their ‘Reporting of Crime’ event at Reading police station. Activists went to Reading Police station to report the various crimes, including crimes against humanity and war crimes, that are being planned and prepared for at AWE Aldermaston and AWE Burghfield. They wanted to ensure these crimes are properly investigated by the police. All 54 people who reported a crime connected to Trident were given the same crime number, and were told that they should hear back within 4 to 6 weeks.

14^th April 2014

Global Day of Action on Military Spending. Angie Zelter, founder of TP, joined activists from 40 anti-militarist groups coming from Britain, and elsewhere, in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria which, as well as being a popular holiday destination, is also a Navy, Air, and Training base for military operations directed at the African continent and other countries such as Afghanistan. Angie said, “Taking part in this action on this day makes people aware of how ‘normalised’ the military has become in our societies and how ordinary people must become aware of this, and cut the military out of our societies to enable them to concentrate on the real security issues of our era – climate chaos and poverty.”

12^th May 2014

25 people gathered outside the Charles Cross police station in Plymouth. The local TP affinity group, the Tamarians, were there, together with activists from round the country, to report the crime of Trident. It took 2 hours for 18 people to go and report the serious crimes of Trident. Those reporting were all given the same crime number – 788. Those present reported a surprising amount of support being expressed for their action in this very historic naval town.

9^th June 2014

AWE Burghfield saw its biggest protest in years, with the three road entrances to the site blocked for nearly 5 hours in a blockade organised by TP as part of the ongoing Action AWE grassroots campaign. 29 people were involved. About a third were from Wales, with others from Reading, Bradford, Cornwall, London, Norfolk and elsewhere. Three autonomous groups set off from different parts of the country and arriving at 6.45 a.m. They had all arrived within 4 mins of each other. The oldest participant was 82.

25^th July 2014

A group of local people, including members of TP, blocked the main Camel’s Head entrance into Devonport Dockyard in Plymouth, in order to stop the refitting of the Trident nuclear submarines. At least 2 people were charged with Obstruction of the Highway, and lock-ons involved the use of a car.

15^th September 2014

The 2014 International Hrant Dink Award was presented to laureates from Turkey and Angie Zelter, the founder of TP, from Britain. A ceremony organized by the Hrant Dink Foundation was held at the Cemal Re?it Rey Concert Hall in Istanbul. The award is presented to people who work for a world free of discrimination, racism, and violence, and who, in carrying out this work, have to take personal risks for their ideals, and who use the language of peace, and by doing so, inspire and encourage others.

20^th September 2014

Demonstration outside Faslane following the No vote at the Sottish Independence referendum. Attended by many in TP. Calls of “Yes or no, Trident has to go”.

22^nd September 2014

4 days after the historic referendum on Scottish Independence, Faslane Peace Camp and TP partially blocked the north gate to Faslane, sending a strong message that the overwhelming desire of Scotland to be rid of nuclear weapons must be honoured.

5 activists locked on to each other while displaying banners that read “Scrap Trident” and “Scotland YES, Trident NO”. Traffic waiting to enter the base was backing up causing gridlock at the roundabout close to the gate. The action followed a hundred strong protest at the base on Saturday after the referendum delivering the message: “YES or NO, Trident Has Got to Go.”

20^th October 2014

TP members visited the office of the Secretary of State for Scotland. One of his roles is to convey the interests of the people of Scotland to the Westminster government. Our message to him? The continued active deployment by the UK of horrific nuclear weapons is of grave concern to the people of Scotland, YES and NO voters alike. Chris Bluemel climbed onto a window sill where he was able to stick up some more posters onto the glass and Mary and Barbara managed to get in through the door and refuse to leave until they spoke with someone.

1^st November 2014

TP make a submission to the Smith Commission. The Smith Commission has been taking the views of political parties and the public on what further powers should be devolved to the Scottish Parliament. It was established following promises by the major UK parties in the immediate lead-up to the vote, to extend Holyrood’s powers.

30^th November 2014

Nearly 1500 people turned up at Faslane for the “Trident Still Has to Go Now” demonstration. It was the biggest single day protest at Faslane in a decade. TP is one of several groups in Scotland that formed the Scrap Trident Coalition who organised the demonstration, and who call on the UK government to scrap the Trident nuclear weapons system. One banner read “When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know Peace.”

10^th December 2014

18 people from TP and CAAT (Campaign Against the Arms Trade) held banners, leafleted and sang special anti nuclear, peace carols to draw the attention of the public to what is going on in the unmarked building which houses the UK HQ of one of the world’s biggest arms manufacturers, – Lockheed Martin.

17^th December 2014

5 TP activists were arrested after painting in large visible lettering “Scrap Trident, Ban Nukes” on the Faslane perimeter fence. The 5 were Brian Quail, Mary Millington, Janet Fenton, Barbara Maver and Gillian Lawrence, and they had just enough time to finish painting the message before MOD police arrived and arrested them.

2015

22^nd February 2015

A TP activist was arrested and charged with vandalism at Faslane, while two others were detained after pinning a set of “Peace Pirate Articles”, to the fence. All 3 are in the affinity group “Peaton Peace Pirates”.

2^nd March 2015

TP activists take part in the Burghfield Lockdown – a blockade organised as part of Action AWE’s campaign – and stay in place for a lengthy 8 hours.

4^th April 2015

TP was one of the organising groups of the Scrap Trident Demo held in Glasgow’s George Square. About 4000 people took part.

23^rd April 2015

TP members organised the Scrap Trident blockade of Faslane as part of the Scrap Trident Coalition. Both gates of the base were blocked from 7 am until 1.30 pm. Nearly 300 people took part. 34 people were arrested after being cut out of their lock-ons at the South Gate, and they were charged with a breach of the peace, but in contrast, the police did not attempt to move people from the North gate.

27^th April 2015

The Tamarians TP affinity group occupied the ruins of a Second World War church in Plymouth to protest against the continued spending on the Trident submarine system, which is refitted in Plymouth’s own Devonport dockyard. In response to critics of their action, the Tamarians stressed the care and respect they showed to the memorial site and explained how they, “think that the purpose of a war memorial is to remind people of war and to learn from our history in order to make a better world. It is our concern to prevent any wilful or accidental nuclear exposure, and to recognise the inhumanity of nuclear weapons.”

23^rd May 2015

5 TP activists, Sylvia, Julia, Erica, Margaret, and Anne decorated the fence at AWE Burghfield in front of the gravel gerties, where work is done on nuclear warheads.

6^th August – 9^th August 2015

Around 12 campaigners fasted outside the MoD for three days in solidarity with campaigners in Paris and other countries. They camped up in Whitehall Gardens, next to railings that surround the MoD. During their time there, they carried out a constant vigil, leafleted passers by, and carried out a die-in outside the main entrance of the MoD, and then also outside the Houses of Parliament, and another, outside Downing Street.

1^st October 2015

Start of PICAT – Public Interest Case Against Trident. This day marked the start of this ambitious project to bring the crimes constituted by Trident and its renewal before the domestic courts and to secure a judgement that would lead to the ending of these crimes through the disarming of the UK’s nuclear weapons system. PICAT was co-ordinated by Trident Ploughshares’ Angie Zelter, who developed the project along with international lawyer Robbie Manson. Robbie said: “The government has consistently refused to give evidence to prove how Trident or any replacement could ever be used lawfully. This campaign is an attempt to find a court willing to examine objectively if the threat to use Trident is in fact criminal as so many of us think it is. It is a matter of vital public interest.”

31^st October 2015

Six TP members including Barbara Maver, Gillian Lawrence and Jamie Watson, joined thousands of local people in a demonstration against the increasing militarisation of Sierra del Retín, a beautiful part of Southern Spain. NATO is spoiling this lovely fishing and tourist area with its increasing military exercises. The demonstration on this day was called by people of the town of Barbate during the massive NATO exercises taking place with major UK involvement.

2016

February 2016 to June 2016

As part of the PICAT project, 5 groups from England and Wales approached their local Magistrates’ court and asked it to start the process of a criminal prosecution against the Secretary of State for Defence (the corporate office not the individual incumbent) for being engaged in a conspiracy to commit a war crime. The groups also wrote separately to the Attorney General as such serious crimes have to have the consent of the Attorney General in order for proceedings to begin in the courts. PICAT was co-ordinated by TP.

6^th June 2016

Huge messages stating, “Trident is a war crime” and “Stop Trident Replacement” were lit and projected off walls belonging to the Ministry of Defence and the Houses of Parliament buildings in London.

June 2016

TP organised and co-ordinated a month of action at AWE Burghfield, near Reading. There was a really active week from 5th to 10th June which involved groups from TP, Scottish groups, mainland European groups and Northern England groups. A diversity of groups took part overall, and the Grand Finale took place on 30^th June which marked the end of a highly successful month of disruption and non-violent civil resistance. AWE Burghfield is the final assembly plant for the nuclear warheads on the Trident submarine fleet based at Faslane. The month long protest raised awareness of the forthcoming parliamentary decision regarding the replacement of Trident. The cost of the Trident renewal programme is currently £205 billion.

The construction site entrance to Burghfield was blockaded continuously night and day for 11 days and then kept shut for the rest of the month. This marked the longest ever continuous blockade of a nuclear weapons facility. It resulted in all construction traffic to AWE Burghfield being blocked from the 1st week in June. Numerous other events, actions, and blockades, also caused disruption to the only other gate – the Main Gate (with an entrance via an MoD road called The Mearings). People blockading the main gate slept there overnight, being cared for by relays of supporters, and this continued until 17^th June when overnight camping at the gate ended.

Groups taking part included – academics doing a seminar in the road, religious groups holding multi-faith services, European anti-militarists and conscientious objectors to all wars discussing the rise of militarism, peace and justice activists, women’s groups and climate change activists making the links between connected issues. Some held blockades and others leafleted and showed their banners and placards. All groups needed to be as self-sufficient as possible. By mid June a peace camp was set up with banners and decorated with red streamers.

5^th July 2016

TP have challenged Theresa May’s call for an “urgent” vote on Trident replacement, regarding it as dangerous, undemocratic and self-serving.

18^th July 2016

The UK Government voted to replace and modernise the four British Trident submarines. TP activists visited the Central Lobby at Westminster and sang throughout the debate – which was for over 6 hours. The eleven TP’ers sat and sang while superglued together, and demanded the government scrap the Trident nuclear weapons system, just as the debate on the government motion on replacing Trident was getting underway. They removed jackets to reveal messages that read “NO TRIDENT” and “No Trident Replacement” and “Scrap Trident” and “Scotland says Trident No More” written on their clothes. They left the lobby knowing that we lived in a society willing to continue to threaten mass murder, undermining our humanity.

4^th August 2016

TP joined international groups in fasting for 4 days, from August 6th, the anniversary of Hiroshima, till August 9th, the anniversary of Nagasaki, to express their total opposition to nuclear weapons, and to call for their complete abolition. As such, TP joined the fasts in London, Paris and Dijon. TP expressed feeling ashamed and horrified by the irresponsible and criminal vote at Westminster on 18th July to replace and modernise the UK Trident nuclear weapons system. The UK, along with the other 8 nuclear weapon states, are refusing to engage in nuclear disarmament and are financing nuclear modernization programs. In London, 4 people fasted the complete four days, and another 4 people fasted partially or intermittently. They distributed 2000 flyers, spoke with hundreds of people as we leafleted. They staged a die-in, outside Downing Street, to the singing of the Raised Voices choir.

15^th September 2016

TP’er Brian Quail and one other activist, Alasdair Ibbotson, stopped a nuclear weapons convoy in Stirling as it made it’s way to RNAD Coulport from AWE Burghfield in Berkshire. The Daily Mail online reports that “If two peace protestors can get this close and hold up a nuclear weapons convoy, why couldn’t ISIS?”.

30^th December 2016

30 years ago, three Faslane Peace Campers eluded MOD security and boarded a UK nuclear Polaris submarine and got into the control room. Classified documents, released this day under the 30 year rule, and published by the BBC and The Guardian, reveal that Margaret Thatcher scrawled on the top secret report that she was “utterly horrified” – and ordered that any similar intruders found in the high security area should be shot on sight. This was one of the earliest major actions at Faslane, some years before TP was formed, but it forms an important part of the history of civil resistance and direct action against nuclear weapons at Faslane.

2017

22^nd January 2017

It was revealed that the Prime Minister knew that a Trident missile test fired from HMS Vengeance had failed in June 2016, but had not informed the House of Commons during the debate and vote on replacing the four Trident subs, which took place on the 18^th July 2016. The missile was not out by a few metres, but several thousand miles.

7^th July 2017

A United Nations conference of 130 countries passed a Treaty to ban nuclear weapons in New York. The Ban Treaty was opened for signatory on 20^th September and came into force 90 days after being signed by fifty countries. It has the support of the majority of countries. The ban prohibits possession, use, threat of use and assistance in the deployment or production of nuclear weapons.

8^th – 18^th July 2017

TP International Disarmament Camp at Coulport. During camp there were 2 blockades, and numerous small acts of resistance.

8^th July

1^st day of camp and 70 people, including activists from France and Spain, were at the Faslane North Gate to join members of Rise Up Singing affinity group, singing in to celebrate the nuclear ban treaty signed on Friday 7th July.

11^th July 2017

Five people from the TP international nuclear disarmament camp were arrested after they blocked the road leading to RNAD Coulport nuclear weapons depot starting at 7am to coincide with the morning shift change. The activists were cut free from their lock-ons by 9.30am. Two of those arrested, Angie Zelter and Brian Quail, refused the bail conditions and so were remanded until a court hearing on 3^rd August. However, in a court hearing on 26^th July the JP dropped the restrictive bail conditions and the two were free after two weeks of imprisonment. At their trial on the 15^th October, three of the activists were admonished when they used the UN Ban Treaty as part of their defence. This is the first time the Ban Treaty has been used in court.

13^th July 2017

A group of four protesters blocked the main route to RNAD Coulport by lying in the roadway joined to each other through “lock-on” tubes, while a different group, dressed in carnival costume, occupied an alternative access route. Access to the base via these roads was blocked for over two hours. The “lock-on” group was eventually removed by police, and the four were arrested on a charge of breach of the peace.

6^th September 2017

From 4^th to 11^th September a week of actions took place against the Defence & Security Equipment International (DSEI) the world’s largest arms fair in London. During this week, on the 6^th Sept, several groups, including TP, worked together to organise a “NO to NUCLEAR” day, with effective blockading of equipment trying to get into the ExCeL Centre in the Docklands, London. A TP group locked on across the roadway at 8am, before the police had turned up, and consequently they prevented traffic carrying materials for DSEI entering the centre for 90 minutes. Working together with other groups meant another blockade took over as soon as one was cleared. In a second wave at 11am, TP and friends collaborated with London Region CND and the Mad Hatters Tea Party to block the road. There were 14 arrests. Then Faslane Peace Camp sneaked around the back and blocked the road further down inside the security cordon. All 5 were arrested and held overnight. Other groups such as Yorkshire and Manchester CND were involved too.

2018

15^th May 2018

Robbie Manson from PICAT (Public Interest Case Against Trident) receives a refusal of leave to apply for a Judicial Review of the Attorney General’s decision to refuse a prosecution of the Corporate Office of the Minister of Defence. PICAT was co-ordinated by Trident Ploughshares. It’s aim was to bring the crimes constituted by Trident and its renewal before the domestic courts and to secure a judgement that would lead to the ending of these crimes through the disarming of the UK’s nuclear weapons system.

16^th May 2018

Ten members of TP met together in the Central Lobby at Westminster as Prime Minister’s Question Time was held. Some managed to bring in, and then wear t-shirts with the clear message: “UN Global Ban on Nuclear Weapons UK Sign Now”. Other t-shirts were confiscated at security. They held up a banner that carried the names of all 58 signatories of the UN Treaty at that time, and took it in turns to read out the names of the signatories. They gave out leaflets and sang songs calling on the Government to sign the treaty.

20^th June 2018

At 1.30pm, while Parliament was sitting inside, 60 activists chained themselves onto the railings outside, the Houses of Parliament, opposite Portcullis House, stretching from Big Ben to Parliament Square, and hung banners that read “Denuclearize the World – Sign the Treaty” and “Trident Terrorises”.The protest was organised by TP and supported by CND Cymru and CND Yorkshire. They were calling on the government to Sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) and disarm Trident. The action echoed similar actions by women’s suffrage campaigners one hundred years ago. The TPNW was adopted at the UN in July 2017 by an overwhelming vote. When it comes into force the Treaty will explicitly make the production, possession and deployment of nuclear weapons illegal. It has been signed by 59 countries and ratified by fourteen. However, the UK boycotted these talks and has actively encouraged other countries not to support the Treaty.

6^th – 9^th August 2018

TP members took part in the International Fast from to commemorate the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In London the Fast was small but strong, with a small group of people chalking messages on the paving at the MoD and engaging in intense conversations with MoD employees over the days. In Knighton, Wales, people joined Angie Zelter as she fasted in her local church.

24th October 2018

Nine TP members blockade AWE Burghfield. 5 people locked on across the construction gate, whilst either end of a private access road to the main gate of the base was blockaded by a car at each end, with two people locked-on to each car. The day marked the UN’s 73rd birthday, and the group were highlighting how the UK has failed in having anything to do with the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. All 9 were arrested.

2019

5th January 2019

TP affinity group Muriel Lesters had their traditional Christmas time leafleting outside Lockheed Martin in London, to tell them to stop trading in death

18th February 2019

The Peace Pirates affinity group attempted calling on all representatives of the P5 nuclear weapons states in Edinburgh – the US, French and Chinese consulates in Edinburgh and the Scottish Office (as the representative of the UK) – in order to ask them to engage urgently in diplomatic moves to diffuse the critically dangerous situation. This was following Peaton Pirates having sent a letter previously to all representatives of the ‘P5’ nuclear armed states, requesting a meeting to share alarm about the heightened threat of nuclear conflict. The Russian consulate was the only country to reply to the letter, which also invited the P5 to a screening of ‘The War Game’, which is a 1965 film about a nuclear attack and it’s aftermath. The group were supported by members of Scottish CND, Edinburgh CND, and Edinburgh Yes. Police prevented them from entering the buildings and speaking to anyone inside. So the group used a megaphone instead to read out sections from the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. They pasted notices which read “This state is non-compliant with UN nuclear treaties” on the walls of the consulates, and pasted more up when the notices were removed by police.

21st February 2019

TP delegates Janet Fenton and Brian Quail meet with Russian Consul General Andrey A. Pritsepov and Third Secretary Maxim Gurov at the Russian Consulate for over an hour. This was following the Russian Consul General agreeing to a meeting, following a letter from the Peace Pirates to all P5 nuclear weapons states (see above). Janet and Brian spoke with the Russian Consul General regarding the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, and provided him with a copy. They also spoke about the Doomsday Clock, the responsibility of the P5, and Russian No First Use policy which also extends to IBM’s. The Consul General agreed that any nuclear detonation would initiate planetary suicide, and agreed that peace would come through people being willing to talk to each other. He had prepared a paper outlining the Russian position on the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) and other aspects of US/Treaty position. On 2nd February Russia had suspended the INF Treaty in response to the US having done so the previous day. The Consul General agreed that he would go to a screening of ‘The War Game’ and enter into discussion if other P5 states also agreed to this.

1st March 2019

Mad Hatters affinity group perform street theatre outside Highbury and Islington station This was in response to the US suspending the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) on the 1st February, followed by Russia suspending the treaty on the 2nd February. The performance was based on Raymond Briggs, “When the Wind Blows”, in combination with Trump and Putin tearing up the INF Treaty. The performance prompted good conversations on the subject with passers by.

17th May 2019

Following International Conscientious Objectors Day commemorations on 15th May, 15 people, mostly TP’ers, visited Lockheed Martin’s UK corporate HQ in London. They gave out leaflets to highlight Lockheed Martin’s historical role in the development of the A-bomb, and it’s current role in the arms trade and the management of AWE at Aldermaston and Burghfield. They also gave out leaflets on the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

7th July 2019

On the 2nd anniversary of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), TP members Eoin McCarthy, Janet Fenton, and Gillean Lawrence, spray paint “Banned 7/7/17” and “Nae Nukes anywhere” on the large sign for HMNB Faslane at the North gate, and spray painted “Scrap” on the gates. (Janet had personally participated in negotiations for the Treaty at the UN). Meanwhile, TP member Brian Quail and Willemien Hoogendoorn, a resident of Faslane Peace Camp, both blocked traffic from entering the South Gate of the base. All except Brian were arrested and while Willemien was sent to HMP Prison after refusing bail conditions, there has been to date no follow-up action by the Procurator Fiscal.

8th July 2019

Trial at High Wycombe Magistrates of 8 people who blockaded AWE Burghfield in October 2018. Four were acquitted of Obstruction of the Highway, as evidence could not establish that the land they were situated on was part of the public highway. The trial continued the next day when four TP’ers were found guilty of trespass with intent to obstruct lawful activity. All four were ordered to pay £775 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.  The combined effect of their actions had resulted in AWE Burghfield being closed for one working day.

6^th – 9th August 2019

Commemoration of 74th anniversary of the nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, included TP’ers and friends who kept up a vigil for the 4 days outside the MoD HQ in Whitehall during their Hiroshima and Nagasaki International Fast. On Nagasaki Day TP’ers performed an oration and die-in in the Japan Room and then in the main entrance of the British Museum. Activists, dressed as Town Criers, paid a visit to outside Downing St announcing the good news of the TPNW. 20 people visited Lockheed Martin’s London Office in Regent St, and gave out leaflets highlighting the company’s lead management role in AWE Aldermaston and Burghfield, as well as leaflets highlighting the UK’s failure to sign the TPNW, whilst Raised Voices sang peace songs. 

7th August 2019

The start of XR Peace, which is a coalition of organisations for peace and justice joining Extinction Rebellion. TP members and affinity groups are taking an active role in leading and participating in XR Peace. XR Peace aims to make explicit the links between militarism and the climate emergency. XR Peace has its own website at www.xrpeace.

4th September 2019

This day marked the “No Nuclear Day of Action” organised by TP and CND as part of Stop the Arms Fair week of actions. TP’ers and members of Extinction Rebellion blockaded both entrances to the Defence & Security Equipment International (DSEI) arms fair at the Excel Centre in London – the world’s largest arms fair. Two cars, a boat on a trailer, and activists locked onto each other through suitcases and tubes, in order to prevent arms traffic from entering the centre to prepare for the fair. TP called on the UK government to stop arms sales to countries like Saudi Arabia which are using them to commit gross violations of international law, such as in the bombing campaign in Yemen. TP also calls on the government to sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, and to disarm the Trident nuclear weapons system. 12 TP’ers were amongst the 21 arrested for the blockade, and all were later released.

7th October 2019

Angie Zelter and Jane Tallents as the current co-organisers of XR Peace (see above), organised the XR Peace involvement in the 2 week October Rebellion in central London, to demand the Government takes urgent action on the climate emergency. TP members took an active role in this, and XR Peace had a total of 57 arrests made over this time, including actions at the MoD HQ in Whitehall, outside BAe Systems HQ, and outside the Supreme High Court, all highlighting the desperate need for the Government to act now, and how war causes climate crisis, and climate crisis causes war.