Press Releases & Updates 1999

Sylvia Boyes (56), a peace campaigner from Birmingham and River (44), a university lecturer from Manchester, intended to swim across the dock and board the nuclear weapons submarine. They are being held in Barrow Police Station.

A Trident Ploughshares spokesperson said:

"This vessel is designed to threaten to inflict the most brutal atrocities imaginable. This government is fully aware that it is breaching international humanitarian law by its active deployment of Trident and pays no attention to argument, entreaty, world opinion or court rulings. We have to take action. This is what drove Sylvia and River to risk the cold dark waters of the Barrow dock and imprisonment."

A further press release will be issued when more information is available.

Notes:

1. On 1st February this year Trident Ploughshares members Rosie James and Rachel Wenham swam to and boarded Vengeance in the dock at Barrow and damaged testing equipment on the conning tower. They will appear in Lancaster Crown Court on the 24th January, charged with criminal damage.

2. On September 22nd 1999, in Greenock Sheriff Court, Sheriff Margaret Gimblett acquitted three Trident Ploughshares activists, who had disarmed the Trident barge "Maytime", on the grounds that their action was justified since Trident presented an active threat that was illegal under international law.

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