September Newsletter

From: newsletter at faslane365.org

Date: 2007年9月3日 8:57:26:JST

Subject: [Newsletter] Faslane365 September Newsletter

Dear friends,

We are now counting down the days to the Big Blockade which will be the culmination of the Faslane365 yearlong campaign of direct action against Trident. So far 120 groups have blockaded over 174 days with 930 arrests.

We hope all of you who together have created this campaign of sustained resistance can come together and bring new friends to press once more for the disarmament of Britain’s wmd at the BIG BLOCKADE starting at 7am on the FIRST of OCTOBER.

Accomodation, Training, Transport
We are inviting people to come with an affinity group with your own action plans, but for individuals coming without a group there will be additional affinity groups forming on Sunday in Glasgow. There will be action trainings covering practicalities, blockading techniques, the arrest process and other vital information for first timers at the venues at 3pm, 5pm and 5:30pm, with a briefing at 8pm. Anderston Kelvingrove Church will be the hub where you should check in.

Accommodation will be available at several venues in Glasgow on the Sunday and Monday nights. Coaches will be leaving Edinburgh at 4:30am and Glasgow at 5:30am on 1st October.

To book places on a bus from Glasgow or accommodation call 0845 45 88 365 or email: info at faslane365.org

For full details it is recommended that you download the Briefing Pack here.

We have cancelled the previously announced Saturday strategy session and evening celebration, partly due to lack of interest and partly out of relief as we anticipate being very busy with last minute prep for the Big Blockade. Instead, look for the notice boards at the gates on which you are all invited to indicate ideas for next steps, and let's make the Big Blockade the celebration of the year.

The Quiet Before the Storm
August has been one of the quietest months of the year with only five groups making their presence felt. Several of these were hosted by Trident Ploughshares Camp at Peaton Woods, by Coulport.

Trident Ploughshares
To mark the anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima a TP group planned a daring blockade of Coulport which was to involve a tripod, a fence sitter and a lock-on made out of a very large cedar log. Unfortunately the MOD police were out in numbers in anticipation of an announced Faslane365 action coming out of the annual TP camp. Police Dog units found the tripod and the log before the groups were able to establish the blockade. But that did not take away from the fun that was had in chiselling and burning through that stump and dragging the heavy tripod through the dark pine forest. The best laid plans o’ mice and men may often go wrong but the tripod and log/lock-on activists are a determined bunch. We have no doubt that they will succeed at some point in the future...

European Youth and Japanese Peace Boat at UN

After meeting up with Japanese students of the Global University at Faslane a small delegation of European Youth climbed aboard the Peace Boat. Upon reaching New York the students together issued a "Youth Appeal" to the UN stating: "We, young people from across the world, first came together only two weeks ago, at an international protest at the Faslane nuclear submarine base in Scotland.... Since then we have been discussing nuclear power, nuclear weapons, nuclear proliferation, and what these all mean for our future. We have also had opportunities to hear about the horrors of atomic bombs first hand from Hibakusha, the survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings. The possibility of another Hiroshima and Nagasaki frightens us. We also realise, however that we are the last generation to be able to learn directly from Hibakusha and it for this reason that we have to act now not to forget and not to repeat the horrific history."
The full text of the appeal can be read on the Next Generation page of the website.

Scottish Councillors

About ten Scottish Councillors held a one day demonstration attended primarily by SNP councillors, but with messages of support from others who were not able to make it on the day. There were no arrests.

Hereford

The Hereford group did however baffle the police by waiting until late in the afternoon when the police had gone home for the day to blockade the North Gate. A group of seven young people successfully locked on across the gateway. Amongst them was a fourteen year old who very much wanted his night in jail but was persuaded by the cutting team to unlock. Six were arrested.

Grannies

A handful of grannies brought the message that they wanted a future free from the threat of nuclear weapons for their grandchildren. They attached photos of grandchildren to the fences. Annie Tunicliffe said "I have been to Greenham Common and marched with CND. I think it is really important that young people don't feel that we are leaving it (the protest) to them.”

Spread the Word

Please help make this Grand Finale a success by spreading the word. Click here to download the leaflet or call to request a stack.

Court Update

Three people have been convicted of a Breach of the Peace so far in court cases arising from Faslane365 actions. Lawrence Bernhard of the Coventry group was fined £200. Jane Tallents was convicted for a Trident Ploughshares group blockade and fined £300. These fines were both issued by the JP who generally gives the highest fines of all the Helensburgh JPs. Irene Willis, was fined £500. The JP appears to have issued this exceptionally high fine because he accepted the PFs argument that Irene's action posed a danger to herself, despite the evidence given by Irene and her supporter that showed that the action was carefully planned and carried out with sufficient safety precautions.

***NEW*** Faslane 365 POSTERS

A beautiful poster collage of hundreds of colorful banners from all the groups which have participated in Faslane365 will be available for purchase for only £2 at the Big Blockade. These will also soon be available to order from the website.

Faslane 365 GREETING CARDS

Each of the cards is a collage of the different banners that have been brought to the Faslane 365 blockades during the first 6 months and includes a photo of one blockade per card. Each of the 8 cards in a set contains different banners and photos and is blank inside. Four Pack of 8 cards in colour with envelopes. £5 per pack (inclusive of p&p). To view the cards on the website click here

To order contact cards at faslane365.org or ring 07835 354652. Make cheques payable to 'Faslane365' and send to Valley Farmhouse, East Runton, Cromer, Norfolk, NR27 9PN with a note to say who it is from and that the cheque is for cards.

DONATIONS ARE WELCOME.

Please send cheques to:
Faslane 365
Valley Farmhouse East Runton
Cromer Norfolk
NR27 9PN
UK.