Main Gate to Faslane nuclear base still closed
144 arrests over two days - more expected tomorrow

In an inspiring second day of peaceful protest at the Trident nuclear submarine base at Faslane, Scotland, activists yet again blockaded and closed the main gates from 6:30am. Some were dressed as characters from The Mad Hatter's Tea Party while others sealed themselves inside a giant Dragon marking the Chinese New Year. One protester climbed onto the main North gate and as we write is dismantling the razor wire and keeping the gate closed.

Faslane is the base for Britain's four Trident submarines, whose deadly arsenal is over a thousand times more powerful (1) than the Hiroshima bomb which killed at least 140,000 people in 1945.

This, the second day of 3 days of non-violent direct action (February 11-13), saw around 150 activists descend on the base resulting in 30 more arrests bringing the total to 144 over two days. Bruce Crawford MSP (SNP) was there, giving his support. Former Magistrate Paul Milling, 57, was arrested after he and three others locked themselves onto a model of a Trident Submarine. He said "Successive rulings by the international courts as well as recent decisions by Scottish courts mean no one should be prosecuted for taking part in these actions."

Five ministers were among the 114 protesters from around the world arrested yesterday, including Tommy Sheridan MSP (SSP), Lloyd Quinan MSP (SNP), Billy Wolfe (SNP).

Peace activist David Heller, 26, who was arrested today, said "Despite the existence of tens of thousands of nuclear weapons and more conventional arms than ever before in history there is no security or real peace in the world and we won't get it by threatening to murder innocent civilians."

We invite anyone who is happy to abide by our non-violence guidelines to join us tomorrow in condemning this nuclear madness and celebrating life and hope.

A poll conducted by pollsters NFO System Three found that the majority of Scottish people supported the activists arrested at the February 2001 blockade. (2). Many more activists are expected to blockade Faslane tomorrow on the last day of the 3 day Block 'n' Roll. This represents an unprecedented escalation in the peaceful disruption of a weapons system terrorising innocent people all over the world.

(1) Hansard 28 July 1998, George Robertson, former British "Defense" Minister, now NATO Secretary General.
(2) 4 March NFO System Three