Press Releases & Updates 2001

In Helensburgh District Court Barbara McGregor, an actor and artist from Glasgow, was charged with breach of the peace for her involvement in the "Crimebusters" blockade of Faslane in February 1999. She said that she had been carrying out her duty under the Nuremberg principles. It was Trident which breached the peace. Since the shameful verdict of the High Court in March the law itself was being held hostage to violence. The court might see her action as illegal but she stood by it. One of her witnesses, Morag Balfour from Glenrothes, explained that at the blockade they were placing their bodies as a physical objection to the tyranny of Trident. Before the court could intervene Morag sang a verse of the song they were singing on the day and supporters in the public benches joined in.

Barbara Maver, from Edinburgh, claimed that her action at the same blockade had caused no distress to anyone -the atmosphere had been one of fun and frivolity. Both were found guilty and fined £100. At the end of the proceedings the supporters graced the exit of the court officials with more of Morag’s song.

Earlier, charges against Grace Nicol, from Edinburgh, and Warren Canham from Lanarkshire, relating to the disarmament camp in August 1999, were dropped. In Warren’s case this was due to the complete lack of any prosecution case and in Grace’s because of the poor and contradictory quality of the police evidence.

Meanwhile, veteran campaigner Joy Mitchell of Berwick appeared in her local Magistrates’ Court to account for unpaid fine incurred for cutting the perimeter fence at Coulport. She was sentenced to 24 hours in police custody but when she was sent down the police queried the precise nature of the sentence and eventually some higher authority authorised her immediate release.

A supporter at the Helensburgh Court said: "It’s thrilling to see the increasing confidence of these Trident resisters as they argue against their case in court. They have the court visibly wilting as they bring in common sense, morality and humanitarian law and refuse to be fobbed off with nonsense."

Printer friendly version

Home | Top