REPORT ON LATEST ‘BLOCK THE BUILDERS’ ACTION AND DETAILS OF NEXT BLOCKADE AT AWE ALDERMASTON

Six people were arrested early on Monday 13th March outside the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston as part of the on-going Block the Builders direct-action campaign to disrupt construction work on the new Orion laser facility which, if built, will enable the UK government to test and build the next generation of nuclear weapons.

In spite of a disproportionate police presence – around 100 Thames Valley Police, some of them on horseback - the six protesters managed to successfully stop the traffic from entering one of the two main construction gates at AWE Aldermaston from both directions of the A340.

Although the original intention had been to blockade the gate, the six made an on-the-spot decision to lie in the road instead which in the end produced the same result (to physically prevent construction traffic from entering the base).

Three people managed to lock-on to each other and lie in the middle of the road whilst the police decided what to do. The other three blockaders were prevented from locking on and were detained by the side of the road. The traffic was stopped on both lanes of the A340 by lines of police and police vans for approximately half an hour.

All six were arrested and taken to Loddon Valley police station where they were interviewed twice - once about the blockade by TVP and then again by 2 MoD CID surveillance. The purpose of the second interview seemed a (vain) attempt at extracting information about the frequency and timing of future blockades and the perceived success of police tactics (they wanted to know if the police use of cameras to film and take photographs of protesters would be likely to put people off attending future blockades).


Given the massive police presence this was a worthwhile protest. However, MORE people are needed to sustain and build-up the campaign.

We demonstrate/blockade during Monday morning rush hour

The next blockade will be on Monday 10th April

Please join us to make this an even more successful campaign

Sunday night meeting, overnight accommodation & food provided.

Bring bedding…banners…cameras…your own affinity group…creative ideas…& a commitment to non-violence.




For more information please phone: 07969 739 812 or 07887 802 879
or visit the BtB website at www.blockthebuilders.org.uk


NOTES:

Block the Builders are calling on the government to come clean and admit that
the current programme of building works - including on a new laser facility -
are designed to equip the UK to build a successor to Trident, as detailed in
yesterday's Sunday Times.[ http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-2081800,00.html]

The protest was held in advance of the Defence Select Committee's opening
session on Tuesday 14 March [ http://www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/defence_committee/def060308
which is apparently being conducted to inform a decision on the future of the UK nuclear weapons. As far as Block the Builders can see, that decision has already been made, and work has already started.