Dear friends, this is a report of the action that took place in the UK on Thursday October 1st - reports of other actions will follow as soon as possible. For those of you outside the UK: the report is a thrown-together personal-ish account which was written quickly on the night for activist media - so apologies for any slang words or phrases that don't translate too well!
********** ROLLS ROYCE DRIVES NUCLEAR WEAPONS **********
REPORT ON THURSDAY'S 'LET'S DISGRACE THE BASE' DIRECT ACTION ACTIVITES AT ROLLS ROYCE NUCLEAR IN DERBY (construction site for the nuclear reactors for Trident submarines)
"We have to get it across what they're actually doing. When was it that the Nazis became genocidal? It was when they made the gas and built the chambers. This is the same, but with radiation and missiles." - A UK activist at NATO, 8 July 1998
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We did it we did it we did it we dis-dis-DISGRACED THE BASE ! ! Sleep-deprived rambling update at 9.30pm on October 1st follows...
At the present moment there are 12 people still in nick in Derby, (of c.60 participating) with release time given by the plods as midnight or so. Apparently the 'delay' is that people are refusing to have their fingerprints taken. We think charges are 'going equipped to commit criminal damage' - all those inside were arrested in the base, but the full story on their disgracing activities will have to wait until they're out.
Activists descended on the main entrance as disgraceful workers arrived for work at 8am, with different affinity groups simultaneously entering the site elsewhere. Plods a bigger presence than was hoped - word from talkative pigs is that at 8.30pm the previous night they were mobilsed from all over Derbyshire, leave cancelled. But the jury is still out as to whether this was due to a security breach or whether all forces were on alert because it was a national day of action. (At 7.30am police presence minimal - stepped up drastically by 7.55am - no word yet on what security was like on other possible target sites in central England).
Blockades of workers ensued with tailbacks haranged to go home - they had a choice, their jobs are contributing to genocide - yes, that means frying people alive. Leaflets and notices asked 'Who built the gas chambers?' and urged workers to 'Question your government; Question your bosses; Whose interests are your jobs serving?' Big banners in front of the base - which was on a busy dual carriageway - informed passing drivers in lurid colours that 'ROLLS ROYCE DRIVES NUCLEAR WEAPONS'. Police helicopter hovering over the base. Press mobiles go crazy - film, radio and newspaper crews descend upon us now the word is out where we are. Derby locals turn up to inform us that they are 'scared to death' about having the UK's 'most secure' nuclear site on their doorstep - local opposition is barely mobilised, but local concern is high, despite the high employment of the base.
That last point is chosen, as the morning wears on, as the base's PR's desperate selling point. Police press officer informs us that Rools Royce's 'no comment' line has been changed to a prepared statement: They employ 1500 people there (how big of them), they make 'propulsion engines for the Royal Navy fleet, which is part of the national defence strategy' (ok, so that's NUCLEAR propulsion. Let's spell it: NUCLEAR. Remember that word being written out of the PR dictionary?!). And they have nothing to do with nuclear weapons. But red faces all round as it transpires an unbriefed fuckwit confirmed with the Press Association at 8.15am this morning that they make nuclear reactors and have highly-enriched uranium consignments delivered there regularly. So sod your PR double-speak.
As blockaders are arrested (to be released less than 2 hours later) and the rush-hour delivery of dutiful genocidal wannabes wanes, the main gate scenario reduces down to a load of coppers standing in line beyond the banners, while a nifty game of activist-Wombles-Football ensues, as we await news of the insiders.
Meanwhile another team has been busily patrolling the peramiters questioning any security and police that they come across. Would you obey an illegal/immoral order? Do you realise what you are protecting? What are you doing here anyway? Arriving eventually at the main gate, they lock-on before the police know what's hit them, and demand an inspection of the site for weapons of mass destuction and associated activites. What's good enough for Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction, are good enough for ours. Plods fumble and faff to get the thumb-locks off, but eventually decide to guard the lockers dutifully, because their bolt-cutters are too crap to cut through...
So mobile-happy activists amuse themselves with harranging base management and PR; missions to delegates at the Labour Party Conference to find Margaret Beckett (who's constiuency this is, allegedly) for a comment (you've gotta have a laugh); and further medyawhoredom. Moment to mention that the police FIT (Forward Intelligence Team, who gather information about protesters) have been omnipresent all morning. Y'know how great it is these days to go on an action and see so many familiar faces...
Two hours later and with prisoner support in full swing, the lock-oners' demands are not being met, and we've hit the agreed end-time for the 'outside' action. No details yet on what exactly has happened inside, but vehicles at the ready, the ceremonial de-locking commences. And, my friends, the final icing on the cake. The police - oh our majesty's most glorious sons and daughters in all their flourescent finery - have goosed again. Their earlier efforts to liberate our intrepid inspectors have suceeded in screwing the lock on one of the thumb-locks. They are reduced - reduced I say, without a hint of smuggery - to calling in the fire brigade. Oh, what can I say. We watched, we laughed, we cheered the burly fire officers who, without a flame in sight, clearly enjoyed the spectacle as much as we did. Then we buggered off, to de-brief, sort transport, tat and bigfatserious legal support.
Which takes us back to the start of this report. Have just received report that all but two arestees have been released and are holed up snug and safe somewhere to sleep. So to explain:
For those who don't know, this was an international day of direct action against nuclear bases around the world (following actions at NATO HQ in July). October 1st was picked because it's the anniversary of the end of the Nuremberg Trials at the end of the Second World War. Nuremberg Principles drawn up effectively stated that no-one who has a 'moral choice' available to them is immune to prosecution for preparing for genocide, from that point on a crime against peace and humanity under international law. Hence all the references to gas chambers. A lot of actions have been using 'Citizens Inspection Teams' fronts to expose the huge hypocrisy around inspections in Iraq over weapons of mass destruction sites. The week kicked off with reports of an action in Israel on September 26 - ten arrested at the Dimona nuclear facility in the Negev Desert. September 30 is also the anniversary of the incarceration of Mordechai Vanunu, the Israeli nuclear whistleblower.
Whatever your take on international law, today's action was to disrupt and disgrace a little-targetted link in the immoral, fucked-up nuclear 'defence' strategy of the not-so-United Kingdom, who's government has blocked disarmament initiatives, along strict NATO policy lines, despite the bollocks propogated by New Labour. (Cut the warheads which hadn't even been introduced yet. Cut the budget more bloody likely.)
Not much news yet on other actions around the world, but we can report on the action in Belgium - c60 people, 47 - 47! - arrests, eight of whom were MPs. Yes that's right. As well as having beer and chocolate stiched up, the Belgians have found a cool role for their so-called parliamentary representatives - while most of ours are busy wining, dining and schmoosing in Blackpool. Here endeth the whinge.
Hope you have been entertained / inspired by adrennalin-induced ramblings... More small citizens inspections will be following at other UK sites at the weekend (plus the other 2 which also took place today). Further evaluation, organising and disgracing will ensue in the future - while the Pentagon predicts that there is a possiblity of accidental all-out nuclear war with Russia occurring as a result of Millenium Bug computer malfunction in 15 months time. We only have a short time to get sorted. Meanwhile, understand that a small group of disorganised idealists can fuck around with people's heads, indeed it is the only thing that ever has.
And if you tolerate this, our children WILL be next.
Love, madness, chaos... The Disgracers.
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UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE
POLICE CRACKDOWN ON DISGRACING ACTIVISTS
The twelve people arrested inside Rolls Royce Nuclear (Derby) on Thursday October 1st appeared in court on October 2, and were charged with conspiracy to commit criminal damage (International readers note - this charge can carry up to 15 years in jail, and while it is difficult to prove, it is also difficult to disprove). While they were still in Derby, all twelve's homes were raided by police - some in the early hours of the morning. At least one house was empty at the time it was raided and had the door kicked in. A commital hearing has been set for December 4. The heavy-handed charges have been condemned by local activists. Police tried to have draconian bail conditions imposed - non-association (two of the accused live in the same house!) and bi-weekly signings at police stations, but were thwarted by what appeared to be a highly sympathetic magistrate, who only agreed to the condition that the twelve not go within 1 mile of Rolls Royce Derby.
It's too early yet to say whether the charges will be fully pursued, or whether the conspiracy charge will be dropped. Either way, the word is that the trial dates will be used to further publicise what goes on at Rolls Royce. For further information about offers of support (financial, emotional or practical) contact the email address below for the time being, and watch this space...
For further information contact: eirlys@mcmail.com