Press Releases & Updates 1998

Since August 11th there have been 15 arrests of Scottish, English and Welsh activists based at the TP2000 camp. Fellow activists will give lively and colourful support to Angie Zelter, as she appears at Dumbarton Sheriff Court this morning, to face the spurious charge that she deliberately failed to turn up at court in connection with an alleged offence relating to her involvement in the requisitioning of an MOD boat for a citizens’ inspection of the UK’s illegal Trident system at the bases in Faslane and Coulport.

Although Angie has evidence of the official permission for her not to appear the authorities are proceeding with the unjust charge, presumably in an attempt to limit her involvement in the current intensive action against the nuclear bases at Faslane and Coulport by activists at the Trident Ploughshares camp in Peaton Wood. Angie was one of the four women who made history in 1996 by being acquitted by an English court after causing an estimated 1.5 million pounds worth of damage to a Hawk aircraft bound for oppression in Indonesia on the grounds that their action was to prevent a major crime against humanity.

Outside the court at Dumbarton from 10.30 this morning Angie’s supporters will use colourful street theatre involving banners and dressing up as judges and the military to demonstrate the ruling of the International Court of Justice making nuclear weapons illegal.

The campaigners are now considering filing a complaint, with the support of international lawyers and local residents, at the Sheriff Court in Dumbarton against members of the UK Government and employees in establishments concerned with the development , transportation, preparation, guarding and deployment of British nuclear weapons. " The situation is ridiculous," said David Mackenzie, "The wrong people are beingarrested and charged."

Tomorrow, Saturday, the TP2000 action will be boosted by the demonstration organised by the Scottish Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament which will bring people from all over the UK and beyond to march from the permanent Peace Camp at Faslane and protest against the UK’s weapons of mass destruction at the Faslane North Gate

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