Press Releases & Updates 2001

The blockade of the site, which aims to cause as much disruption as possible to a facility the campaigners see as illegal under international law, began at both gates at 7 a.m. this morning. Some of those arrested were acting as legal observers for the activists. Liaison with the MOD police in advance of the action had indicated that the police would "facilitate lawful and peaceful protest" but a senior source within the MOD police this morning shared his concern that Thames Valley Police had unilaterally decided to enforce the Section 14 Public Order Notices served on activists earlier and to arrest anyone near the action. The MOD police had understood that the event would be policed "with a smile" but it was now clear that Thames Valley had other ideas.

If activists are charged under Section 14 the legitimacy of the charge will be strongly contested in court. Following the use of that charge at a similar event in May last year activist Andrea Needham successfully argued that the fact that activists had engaged in an extended process of liaison with police beforehand made the order invalid. Again this year there have been extensive and thorough attempts at liaison.

At the Main Gate police are now beginning to clear the activists blocking the roadway though when arrested and set to one side many of them are immediately returning to the roadway and lying down.

A Trident Ploughshares spokesperson said: "Time and time again we have advised Thames Valley to seek advice from Strathclyde Police about how to police such events constructively and safely but the penny hasn’t dropped yet. It’s obvious too that the MOD police are incensed that their genuine attempts to work with us positively have been undermined. They should have realised by now we will not give in to intimidation. We are not going away"

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