Faslane 365

On Monday I returned to Faslane in Scotland to take part in the Big Blockade - the peaceful blockade of the trident base that blots the landscape in this beautiful part of the world.

I said back in January that I was there to reaffirm Plaid Cymru’s commitment to nuclear disarmament and the party’s opposition to these illegal and immoral weapons of mass destruction. That commitment is a strong as ever, and once again I was taking part in the blockade to reflect the views of the majority of people in Wales who oppose and have protested against Trident.

Here’s what the press had to say about the Big Blockade on Monday 1st October:

Daily Post: MEP in Trident protest

Oct 1 2007 by Hywel Trewyn

WELSH MEP Jill Evans will be taking part in a blockade at the gates of the British nuclear weapons base at Faslane, Scotland today.

In January, the Plaid Cymru deputy president was arrested at the gates but will be returning today to mark a year of non-violent blockading of the nuclear submarine base, 30 miles west of Glasgow.

Speaking last night, Ms Evans said: “I said in January that we were here to reaffirm Plaid Cymru’s commitment to nuclear disarmament and the party’s opposition to these illegal and immoral weapons of mass destruction.

“That commitment is a strong as ever, and once again I am taking part in the blockade to reflect the views of the majority of people in Wales.”

Guardian: Year-long nuclear base protest ends

Monday October 1, 2007 6:28 AM

Hundreds of campaigners are expected to take part in the culmination of a year-long anti-nuclear blockade of a submarine base.

MSPs, MEPs and politicians from across the country are expected for the demonstration at the Faslane Naval Base on the Clyde, home to the fleet of Trident nuclear submarines.

Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond is among those to have backed the event, and several SNP politicians are expected to take part.

The year-long campaign of protests, dubbed Faslane 365, has involved people from across the UK, as well as Japan, France, Germany and Belgium who are opposed to the deployment and renewal of the system.

The campaign has led to more than 940 arrests and a recent report showed the cost of policing the base has exceeded £5 million.

Glasgow SNP MSP Sandra White will be among the protesters at Monday’s ‘Big Blockade’.

She said: “I congratulate all those who have taken part in the Faslane365 campaign this past year and been arrested for blockading the base.

“This is the most important event in the Scottish calendar this year because we can no longer afford both morally and financially to have these weapons of mass destruction on our shores.”

Jill Evans MEP, Plaid Cymru deputy president, voiced her support for the protest during her party’s conference last week.

And Scottish Green Party co-leader Robin Harper MSP said: “The use, the threat of use, and the planned replacement of Trident are all illegal. We should take a lead in fighting the wars of this century - the war against poverty, injustice and environmental destruction - not spend £25bn on weapons of mass destruction aimed at civilians.”

Glasgow Evening Times: 114 held at Faslane as year-long protest ends

MORE THAN 100 anti-nuclear protesters were arrested today as they marked the end of a year-long campaign at the Clydeside submarine base.

An estimated 500 demonstrators gathered outside Faslane naval base, home of the UK’s Trident fleet of nuclear subs, early today.

Many started blockading the main entrance by gluing themselves to the road outside or chaining themselves to the perimeter fence.

Police moved in quickly to start removing the demonstrators, making 114 arrests.

Witnesses spoke of a “continuous” stream of people being carried off by teams of officers.

The protesters were marking the end of Faslane 365, a year-long campaign against the hosting of the Trident fleet in Scotland.

It has led to more than 940 arrests and a recent report showed the cost of policing the base has exceeded £5million.

Organisers of today’s action vowed to mark the occasion through “colourful, creative and dramatic actions” at the base.

Coachloads of people began to arrive shortly before 7am, to be greeted by a large police presence.

Protesters blocked access entrance to the main gate by lying on the ground with their arms linked by tubes.

Police used special cutting equipment to free them, before arresting them.

Other protesters blocked the base’s other entrance, as well as the A814 to Garelochhead.

Politicians from across the country, including MSPs and MEPs, also attended today’s Big Blockade’.

Scottish Green Party co-leader Robin Harper MSP was among the first to arrive at Faslane today.

He said: “There is a continuous stream of people being carried away, but more are replacing them.

“The use, the threat of use, and the planned replacement of Trident are all illegal.

“We should take a lead in fighting the wars of this century - the war against poverty, injustice and environmental destruction - not spend £25 billion on weapons of mass destruction aimed at civilians.

“Trident is not wanted by UK citizens and I support this protest.”

Glasgow SNP MSP Sandra White said: “I congratulate all those who have taken part in the Faslane 365 campaign this past year and been arrested for blockading the base.

“We can no longer afford both morally and financially to have these weapons of mass destruction on our shores.”

Police urged motorists to avoid the area around the base while the protest lasts.

A spokesman for Faslane said the protests had not had an effect on the main operations or people inside the base.

He added: “It’s unfortunate that the protests have had an impact on the local community.”

The Herald: Over 170 arrested at Scottish base

Link: www.theherald.co.uk/news/news/display.var.1726201.0.0.php

The power of protest

Right from the start, the new SNP government has made it very clear that things are going to be different in Scotland. And now the Scottish Parliament has voted to reject the UK Government plan to replace the Trident nuclear weapons system by a huge margin of 71 votes to 16, with 39 abstentions.

The motion “congratulates the majority of Scottish MPs for voting on 14 March 2007 to reject the replacement of Trident…and calls on the UK Government not to go ahead at this time with the proposal in the White Paper”

Even thought the decisions on this are made at Westminster, it’s great news that the Scottish Parliament, led by the SNP, has expressed a view in line with the majority of Scottish people, who are against Trident replacement.

And whilst not taking specific measures against the Trident system, the vote shows clearly the anti-Trident majority in the new parliament, allowing for further votes to implement sanctions against the system, based at Faslane Naval Base 25 miles north-west of Glasgow. Both the SNP and Green election campaigns pledged to take action using the Parliament’s environmental protection powers to either ban or tax the transport of nuclear warheads through Scotland, vital for the maintenance of the system.

In January I became one of hundreds arrested at the gates of the Faslane nuclear base when I took part in the Faslane 365 continuous blockade. Many of those arrested at the non-violent blockade since October have been from Wales. Plaid Cymru is committed to nuclear disarmament and opposed to these illegal and immoral weapons of mass destruction. Opinion in Wales mirrors that in Scotland - the majority of people in Wales oppose Trident.

Our arguments and the power of protest make it harder for the UK government to ignore the views of the people.

Llongyfarchiadau i Gyngor Sir Gwynedd - Gwynedd Council against Trident

Llongyfarchiadau i Gyngor Sir Gwynedd, a reolir gan Blaid Cymru, am bleidleisio yn unfrydol yn erbyn Trident. Gobeithio bod cynghorau eraill yn dilyn ei esiampl.

Congratulations to Plaid Cymru controlled Gwynedd County Council for voting unanimously against Trident. I hope that other councils follow their example.

Cynghorwyr Gwynedd yn gwrthwynebu olynydd system arfau niwclear Trident

Yng nghyfarfod o Gyngor llawn Cyngor Gwynedd ar 1 Mawrth, pleidleisiodd Cynghorwyr Gwynedd yn unfrydol i wrtheynebu cynlluniau Llywodraeth Prydain i greu olynydd i system arfau niwclear Trident.

Wrth gyflwyno’r cynnig gerbron y Cyngor llawn, dywedodd y Cynghorydd Dyfed Edwards:

“Mae Cyngor Gwynedd yn datgan ein bod yn gwrthwynebu cynlluniau Llywodraeth San Steffan i greu olynydd i’r system arfau niwclear Trident.

“Mynnwn fod Llywodraeth Prydain yn rhoi terfyn ar y cynlluniau hyn ac yn hytrach na buddsoddi’r biliynau o bunnoedd mewn gwasanaethau cyhoeddus yma yng Ngwledydd Prydain ac mewn rhaglenni penodol i gynorthwyo gwledydd tlawd ein byd.”

Gan bleidleisio o blaid anfon llythyr at y Prif Weinidog ac at Aelodau Seneddol sy’n cynrychioli Gwynedd yn mynegi eu gwrthwynebiad, Cyngor Gwynedd yw’r Cyngor cyntaf ym Mhrydain i gyflwyno eu sylwadau i Lywodraeth Prydain.

Cefnogwyd y cynnig yn unfrydol gan Gyngorwyr Gwynedd.

No To Trident

CND Rally, Queen Street, Cardiff, Saturday 17th February 2007.

Photo: Addressing the rally at the Aneurin Bevan statue, Queen Street, Cardiff.

Last Saturday CND Cymru organised a march in Cardiff against the government plans to upgrade its Trident nuclear weapons system. There are now four Trident submarines based in Faslane, Scotland, which together have the destructive power of nearly 400 Hiroshima bombs. The nuclear bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, in 1945 killed over 100,000 people. Nuclear weapons are immoral.

The Labour government are now planning to replace the Trident submarines with new weapons. This is against the international agreement (the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty) signed over 30 years ago which commits Britain to disarming its nuclear weapons and breaks international law. How hypocritical of Tony Blair to lecture other countries about how dangerous nuclear weapons would be in their hands while at the same time planning more of his own.

Recent estimates of the cost of replacing Trident put the figure at £76 billion over 30 years. Just think of all the positive ways that kind of money could be spent to protect us against climate change that really threatens us and to fight the poverty and injustice in many parts of the world that make peace impossible.

In January I took part in the peaceful blockade of the submarine base in Faslane and many thanks to everyone for the messages of support I received. The strength of feeling against these illegal, immoral and unbelievably expensive weapons can be seen in the fact that over 400 people have now been arrested – several from Wales and many young people. What clearer message to the government than that!

This coming Saturday there is a big anti-Trident demonstration in London. (For more information on buses from Wales please contact 07940 108146 or 01495 773180). I will be speaking there together with many others to underline that message.