DON'T WASTE PUBLIC MONEY PROTESTOR'S URGE POLICE

On 7 February protestors preparing for the Big Blockade of Faslane next week, hand delivered a letter to Strathclyde police chiefs calling on them not to arrest anyone at the anti-Trident protest on Monday 11th.

Brian Quail, Joint Secretary of Scottish CND, was joined by AL Kennedy, author and columnist, and Tommy Sheridan (SSP MSP), to hand a letter into William Rae, Chief Constable of Strathclyde Police at the Pitt Street Headquarters. The letter was also signed by John McAllion (Labour MSP), Billy Wolfe (former SNP President), Lloyd Quinan (SNP MSP), Carol Naughton (Chair of British CND) and Robin Harper (Green Party MSP).

All eight intend to join the Blockade of Faslane next week. The letter was accepted from Brian, Tommy and Alison, on behalf of the Chief Constable by Chief Superintendent Campbell O'Connor, head of Police Operations, at the Pitt Street Headquarters.

The request to the police follows comments made in the Scottish Parliament by the Deputy Justice Minister, Dr. Richard Simpson MSP, in a debate last week when he said: '…such protests require the deployment of up to 750 officers. That is not without cost. It involves additional payments to Strathclyde police to manage the protest. Hundreds of thousands of pounds are required to have 750 officers, one tenth of the Strathclyde police number, police the protest.

The call to reduce policing of the Faslane protest also follows a series of acquittals when courts have found that people taking part in the blockade and a related protest in the public gallery of the Scottish Parliament had not caused the level of distress and alarm required to breach the peace.

Hundreds of protestors are expected to arrive at Faslane early on Monday morning to start, what organisers have described as a three-day 'rolling' blockade and non-violent direct action at the Faslane Trident base. Groups from Ireland, Sweden and Belgium are expected to join groups from all over the UK. 386 people were arrested at a similar protest last February.