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Press Releases & Updates 2001
6th August 2001
Activists paint nuclear submarine on Hiroshima anniversary
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Two Trident Ploughshares activists today spraypainted one of Britain’s Trident nuclear armed submarines inside the high security area at Faslane Naval Base, a feat that the MOD claimed was impossible until earlier this year. This comes on the anniversary of killing of 140,000 people in Hiroshima.
Rachel Remnant, 21, a zoology student at Liverpool University and Marcus Armstrong, 41, a peace and community worker from Milton Keynes, entered the water near Faslane at midnight. The pair, calling themselves "Subversive Submariners" swam through the protected waters around the base, under the security boom and into the high security area where two Trident submarines were berthed. They remained concealed in this area for 20 minutes, and were arrested whilst painting "ILLEGAL" on the side of one of the submarines. The pair remained jubilant as they were arrested at gunpoint by "surprised and amused" officers at 1:30am.
The MOD claimed that it would be impossible for anyone to enter the high security area at Faslane, until Danish activist Ulla Roder painted "USELESS" on one of the submarines in April this year.
Britain has four Trident submarines, each of which is usually armed with 48 one hundred kiloton warheads, each 7 1/2 times as powerful as the bomb which killed 140,000 in Hiroshima 56 years ago today. One submarine remains on constant patrol on a war footing. The British government has never been able to explain how Trident could be used without breaking international law.
Speaking about action, which was the first that she had participated in, Rachel said:
"It was a liberating experience; the fear that nuclear weapons inflict is very real. I hope that my actions have highlighted the risk that Trident poses to life. As we swam to the submarine, our thoughts were for the victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. We were swimming for peace."
Rachel has been released on police bail, and will be available for interviews all day. Marcus has been detained in custody. The pair are to appear at Dumbarton Sheriff Court tomorrow (though it is thought that this may be changed to Helensburgh District Court).
The action took place during the Trident Ploughshares 14-day disarmament camp at Coulport, which goes on to the 11th August. There have been 36 arrests so far during the camp, and three sea actions against a Trident submarines. Further actions are planned.
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