Krista reported that the Faslane Base, home port of the UK nuclear weapons system (Trident), was fully blockaded by non violent activists this morning.
Following Saturday’s demonstration which filled George Square in Glasgow hundreds of activists will blockade Faslane Naval Base, homeport to the UK’s Trident nuclear weapons system, from 7am today, to demand the UK disarm Trident and let Scotland lead the way to a world free of nuclear weapons.
Among those planning to blockade the entrance to the naval base are Disability Rights campaigners, students, pensioners, and trade unionists, international campaigners, councillors and environmentalists.
Activists are coming from all across Scotland, England, Wales and France and as far away as New Zealand. At 83 years Caerphilly Labour councillor, Ray Davies, who features in Ken Loach’s new film Spirit of ’45, will join the blockade. Davies has been arrested numerous times in peaceful protests against nuclear weapons and other causes.
Laurie Ross of Christchurch, a Grandmother for Peace whose father initiated the campaign which successfully made New Zealand a nuclear weapons free zone will join the blockaders at Faslane before going on to Edinburgh for a meeting of the international nuclear disarmament campaigning network Abolition 2000.
Disability Rights campaigner and WOW petition organiser Susan Archibald, who gave one of several impassioned speeches yesterday linking the impact of spending on Trident on the disabled and the poorest people in society will be among those blockading the nuclear weapons base tomorrow. On 6 April Susan shut down the Amazon depot in Fife Susan was arrested last year when she blockaded Trafalgar Square tying up Central London traffic in a protest against cuts to the Disability Living Allowance. [7]
The crowd yesterday affirmed numerous speakers endorsements of independence as an opportunity to rid Scotland of nuclear weapons and provide a boost to the movement for global nuclear disarmament and listened intently to speakers who called for £3billion spent annually on Trident to be used instead to fund welfare, green jobs, the NHS and pensions.
Contrary to BBC reports yesterday’s demonstration saw thousands of marchers with the Banners of Education Institute Scotland, Scottish CND, Radical Independence Campaign, Labour for Independence and Young Scots for Independence, and many more amidst the ubiquitous red, green and blue placards proclaiming the unified message to Scrap Trident and Fund Human Needs fill George Square Speakers
more information, including pictures can be found at www.scraptrident.org