Press Releases & Updates 1999

Yesterday, Saturday 29th May, the third day of attempts by peace activists to carry out a Citizens’ Inspection of the NATO HQ and gather evidence of the possession of illegal nuclear weapons, over 60 people, including 5 from the UK, were arrested, bringing the total to over 260.

On Thursday, when NATO officials refused to give any information to a delegation of the activists, some activists began to cut their way into the complex to continue the inspection. The Brussels police reacted by preventing the others from leaving the area. They then arrested them and removed from the site. Water cannon and long batons were used and some activists were heavily bruised. A senior police official said to a PA contact, "This is a war zone. We cannot tolerate anybody interfering with NATO."

Yesterday the action went on and the police continued to apply the Brussels Mayor’s ban on demonstrations, at one stage arresting demonstrators as they got off a tram a mile from the HQ. Among over 70 people arrested were Trident Ploughshares pledgers Joan Meredith from Northumbria; Bob Sprocket and Johanna Berking from Brighton; Hazel Bloor of Durham; Peter Lanyon from Norwich. Except for Johanna, this was their second arrest within three days. Among international TP2000 pledgers arrested were Martyn Kelly of County Donegal, Krista Van Velzen and Marjan Willemsen of the Netherlands, and Danish Ulla Roder.

TP2000 pledger David Mackenzie said:

"Milosovic is being pursued, and rightly, for his war crimes. Yet, in the city that houses the HQ of NATO, which claims to be acting for democracy and freedom, straightforward dissent is banned. NATO itself refuses to be accountable to its people and to be open to the process of international law."

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