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Press Releases & Updates 2002
25th August 2002
Disarmer refused to pay to hide weapons of mass destruction still at liberty
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Chris Gwyntopher (60), a member of the Muriel Lester affinity group of
Trident Ploughshares non-violent nuclear disarmament campaign, refused to
pay £140 compensation to the Ministry of Defence for assisting in the
cutting down of three panels of fence at Atomic Weapons Establishment,
Aldermaston.
Appearing at Stratford Magistrates Court on 22nd August he
explained that he was not able in conscience to pay to hide and prevent the
disarmament of weapons of mass destruction made at Aldermaston or the
research to develop new nuclear weapons of mass destruction. He pointed out
that if the UK extend war with Iraq those weapons might be used against the
people of Iraq. He drew the Magistrates attention to the fact that the
possession and threatened use of the Trident nuclear missile system was
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. "We were seeking to uphold the law not to
undermine it" he said.
The 2 magistrates retired for nearly half an hour to consider what to do.
When they returned, instead of jailing him, they imposed an attachment of
earnings order to be completed in 8 weeks. The chair of the magistrates
then thanked Chris for his conduct at the court.
A spontaneous demonstration using copies of Chris’s "Disarmer will not pay
to hide war plans" notice of the hearing as an instant leaflet; and
tabards saying "No nuclear terrorism" took place in the High Street before
and during the hearing. The response from passers by was mostly positive,
with drivers hooting their horns in support.
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