Anti-War Actions

A small group of TP Pledgers and Supporters, Dee, Leslie, Clive and Angie set off for Lakenheath late on Tuesday 18th March. Dee and Leslie went to the Main Gate and did a candlelit vigil whilst Angie and Clive made their way into the base through various fences. We walked up the main runway (lying flat on the ground every few minutes to evade the security patrol cars) and around to the high security area where planes seemed to be continuously taking off.

It took us several hours to edge closer and closer to the planes. We could see bombs lying on the side of the runway being loaded on the planes. We eventually reached some open gates leading into the High Security area and after waving to the guards in their ’shed’ we started to make our way through the gates. USAF personnel with guns immediately started to panic and shout, screaming ’Look away from the sound of my voice’, which I thought a rather strange comment. Whilst edging over the line into the High Security Area and smiling widely at him I gently suggested that his command was not very clear as sound was all around........

We then proceeded to ask that they stop preparing to aid and abet war crimes and stop loading bombs on to the planes, talked of the illegality of the war and many other things that they were not particularly interested in hearing about........

Meanwhile some very friendly MoD police had arrived and they proceeded to take over. We were taken to a nearby police station and Clive was soon released. I was held over for court the next day due to numerous other convictions and then refused bail (maybe because I was wearing a Palestinian kaffiyeh! in solidarity with the Palestinians who were frightened that under cover of the war the Israelis would begin a mass transfer - and in fact the land expropriations and water theft did increase in conjunction with the Apartheid Wall that was shifted well into Palestinian lands and away from the internationally recognised Green Line).

Anyway, I ended up in prison for 8 days before a magistrate was finally persuaded that I would turn up for trial and should be released. Our pre-trial review is at Bury St. Edmunds MC on 4th July at 10.30 a.m. and the trial date has been fixed for Mildenhall MC 7th August 9.30a.m. Charged with aggravated trespass (the charges of criminal damage to the fence has been dropped due to lack of evidence) we will be arguing that we had a lawful right to enter and try to demonstrate against an illegal war.

Angie Zelter

Update:

Mildenhall Magistrates Court Verdict on 5th Jan 2004 (Word, 118.5 kb)

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