Update from aldermaston women's Peace CampFriday 13 July 2001
THAMES VALLEY POLICE CLIMBERS BRING TREE-OCCUPIERS DOWN
Women from the Aldermaston Women's Peace Camp who have occupied trees outside AWE Aldermaston since 6.30pm yesterday (in protest at Ministry of Defence Police plans to evict the camp), are now being arrested and brought down from their trees by a Thames Valley Police climbing team.
[this was after the police had brought fire engines, and TVP rope team, and had then started - or threatened to start cutting branches off the trees. There were lots of press around, plus supportive women from Soton, plus people from the Y& CND camp there as well by then]
The first young woman to be brought down from the trees by the climbing team has been arrested for s61 of the CJPOoA and taken to Loddon Valley police station. There are currently concerns that the police are being "unhelpful" in enabling her appropriate adult to attend the police station (a legal right for technical minors) and a solicitor is now being brought into the case.
It is now expected that the remaining three women will also be arrested by police from the TVP climbing team and taken to either Loddon Valley or Newbury police station. (We will provide an update in the next few hours.)
[All women were brought down by around 1.45 and taken to Loddon Valley, where they had quite a difficult time with an unpleasant custody sergeant; four women were released but one was kept in custody and taken to court the next day; she wasn't remanded but was bailed away from Aldermaston & Burghfield, and some strange bail condition about not protesting about them. A solicitor from Bindmans is representing them].
Earlier this morning two women came down voluntarily from the tress, one of whom was arrested, taken to Newbury police station and charged under Section 61 of the CJPoA.
[meanwhile, Monday 16, the Y &S CND camp still continues at Burghfield.. and women seem to be continiuing to take action....]
*Background*
Threatened with eviction by the Ministry of Defence Police under Section 61 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act, the women took to the trees at 6.30 pm last night to maintain their right to protest against the production and maintenance of Britain's nuclear warheads at AWE Aldermaston.
The women - all of whom are committed to non-violent direct action - are alleged by the Ministry of Defence Police to have intimidated workers by sitting on top of the gates to the site yesterday lunch-time as a new shift entered AWE Aldermaston The management are alleged to have stated that after 15 years of protest they have had enough!
Aldermaston Women's Peace Camp normally takes place on the second weekend of every month. This month, women from the camp - along with women from other peace camps - continued their protest after the weekend in order to link up with members of Youth & Student CND whose camp started today at nearby AWE Burghfield. Nuclear warheads are transported from Burghfield to Coulport in Scotland for use in the Trident weapons system used by Britain's nuclear submarines based at Faslane.
AWE Aldermaston is currently run on behalf of the government by AWE ML - a consortium made up of US arms giants Lockheed Martin, the infamous BNFL and the management company Serco; SERCO also run private prisons and have recently taken over running education services for Bradford City Council
For further details, please ring Ippy on 07880 730537. For an interviews with Jenny (tree-occupier/arrestee) ring 07974 712312 now.
AWE Aldermaston is located on the A340. AWPC takes place on land outside AWE Aldermaston next to the Falcon Pub in Tadley.
Aldermaston Women's Peace Camp(aign)
postal: 157 Lyndhurst Road, Worthing, W Sussex BN11, Britain
tel: 01639 600 780
UK m: 07904 450307
email: awpc@gmx.co.uk
web: http://www.gn.apc.org/aldermastonwpc
Regular monthly, women-only peace camp. Second weekend of each month. Shareholder actions, propaganda, nonviolent direct action, public awareness, vegan cake.