Press Releases & Updates 1999

Northumberland Activists Damage Trident-Related Depot

At Helensburgh District Court today, 31st March, Barbara Sunderland, a retired headteacher from Bedfordshire, was found guilty and admonished for taking part in a peaceful blockade the north gate of Faslane Naval Base in August last year, during the Trident Ploughshares 2000 disarmament camp.

Barbara said:

"When I was a headteacher and we took the children out of school the safest way for them to get cross the busy road was for me or another teacher to stand in the middle, obstructing the traffic. Nobody arrested me then for obstructing dangerous traffic! Trident submarines are on hair-trigger alert and there is always the danger of an accidental launch, followed by retaliation."

Another retired teacher, Peter Lanyon, of Leiston, appeared at the same court today on similar charges but his case was adjourned until 4th August due to a missing police witness. This means another 900 mile round trip for Peter. Northumberland Activists Damage Trident-Related Depot

On Sunday night (28 March 1999) the Northumbrian Trident Ploughshares 2000 Group dismantled large amounts of the fence at the Albemarle Secure Nuclear Vehicle Compound, 7 miles west of Newcastle upon Tyne.

The Secure Vehicle Compound is an integral part of the Trident weapon system. It is regularly used by the nuclear convoys carrying nuclear warheads (containing high explosives, plutonium and tritium) on ordinary roads from the Burghfield nuclear weapons factory (near Reading) to Coulport nuclear weapons store (on the Clyde 30 miles west of Glasgow).

The group spent over half an hour chopping the fence, and painting slogans on the bunkers and concrete. They left some of their leaflets to make sure the MOD know who is taking responsibility for the disarmament. There have been no moves to arrest anyone.

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