Press Releases & Updates 1998

YOU ARE INVITED TO A CONCERT at the North Gate of HMNB Clyde at 8am tomorrow. Venus’ Birds, an internationally renowned early music quartet, will be holding a special music concert for viol consort to which the Base Commander of HMNB Clyde has also been invited.

The concert will continue for half an hour, after which there will be a MASS DISARMAMENT ACTION by Trident Ploughshares 2000 activists. This will include a Citizen’s Inspection of the base and more than 20 people trying to cut through the fence into the base.

Nine people were arrested in the early hours of this morning, of which 6 will appear in St. Michael’s Rectory, Helensburgh, tomorrow; a time has not yet been confirmed. Altogether, there will be 22 trial hearings for Trident Ploughshares activists from 7 different countries tomorrow, mostly charged with Malicious Mischief or Breach of the Peace. This has not deterred the activists who claim to be upholding international law, and plan to continue their attempts to openly and non-violently disarm Trident.

Claire Fearnley, from Trident Ploughshares, says "We’re delighted by the success of our disarmament actions so far as we are appalled by the failure of the British government to uphold international law."

Last night’s action, during which two women and one man reached the docking bay where one of the Trident submarines is rumoured to be being stored, has been the closest that any of the activists have been to the submarines so far. Extra police surveillance of the Trident Ploughshares camp at Peaton Hill has been evident since this morning, in the form of helicopters and surveillance boats.

Two women spent over an hour painting messages on the perimeter fence at Coulport, before being arrested by police yesterday. The messages included, "Trident is illegal -ICJ 1996", "Disarm now" and "Site of crime". They were painted in five foot high letters in red and luminous green paint which are visible from Loch Long. They also spent more than half an hour cutting the fence, removing a section of the alarm cable and continued after the police had noticed them until being arrested. They were singing for the duration. They were later released.

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