HOME | IMC UK | Editorial Guidelines | Mission Statement | About Us | Contact | Help | Support Us

SouthCoast Indymedia

AWE Aldermaston: 9 peace gardeners arrested after planting figs and vines

Nuala Young (posted by eileen) | 06.08.2005 07:49 | Anti-militarism | Oxford | South Coast

International peace gardeners arrested planting vines and fig trees inside Atomic Weapons Establishment Aldermaston, UK; first court appearance on Hiroshima Day, Saturday 6th August.

INTERNATIONAL PEACE GARDENERS ARRESTED PLANTING VINES AND FIG TREES INSIDE ATOMIC WEAPONS ESTABLISHMENT ALDERMASTON, UK

In the early hours of Friday 5th August, nine peace gardeners from Europe
and Australia planted vines and fig trees inside and outside the Atomic
Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston, UK, transforming it into a garden of
peace and justice.

Calling themselves the Aldermaston Vine & Fig Tree Planters, the group
arrived at dawn, cut a garden gate in the perimeter fence and entered
carrying spades, trowels, watering cans, five vines and five fig trees,
which they proceeded to plant. Arriving police were offered a choice of
grapes, fig rolls, grape juice or wine. Some of the police chose the grapes
and then arrested all nine on suspicion of criminal damage to the perimeter
fence.

After a day's questioning in nearby police cells, all nine were charged that
"without lawful excuse, [they] damaged a section of the outer perimeter
fence. to the value of £500 belonging to The Ministry of Defence". One
gardener was released, whilst the other eight, who all gave their address as
"Aldermaston," were remanded in custody overnight. The eight will appear at
Reading Magistrates Court at 9.30am on Saturday 6th August - Hiroshima Day -
for a bail hearing.

The previous day, Thursday 4th August, ten gardeners had planted a vine and
a fig tree outside the main gate of AWE Aldermaston and informed the
authorities of their intention to return and continue the peaceful
conversion of the base.

The nine arrestees are: Sr Susan Clarkson (England), Per Herngren (Sweden),
Mike Hutchinson (England), Barbara Smedema (Netherlands), Treena Lenthall
(Australia), Martin Smedjeback (Sweden), Les Gibbon (England), Lizzie Jones
(England), Stephen Hancock (England). The two non-arrested peace planters
are Orla Cunningham (Ireland) and Thomas Helgeson (Sweden).

In a joint statement given to police on both the 4th and 5th of August, the
eleven say:
"On the eve of the 60th anniversary of the bombings of the people of
Hiroshima and Nagasaki, we come to the Atomic Weapons Establishment at
Aldermaston, UK, to plant vines and fig trees.

'They shall beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into
pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall
they learn war anymore. Instead, everyone shall sit underneath their vine
and fig tree and none shall make them afraid.' (Micah 4:3)

Disarmament, economic conversion and nonviolence are vital ingredients for
creating a just world in which everyone enjoys the earth's abundance.

In these fearful, suspicious times, we invite people all around the world to
transform military bases into gardens of peace in which beauty and life
shall flourish."

Supporters will gather outside Reading Magistrates Court at 9.30am, Saturday
6th August.

Messages of support are welcome, and the eleven extend their love, support
and action to all those remembering the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Contact: Stephen Hancock on 07766 904547 (or 07717 324 057)
Email:  vineandfigtree@hotmail.co.uk
Photographs available: www.figs-and-vines.poijoy.urevised.com




"and everyone shall live underneath their vine and fig tree and none shall
make them afraid..."
Micah 4:3
Vine & Fig Tree Planters:  vineandfigtree@hotmail.co.uk
www.figs-and-vines.poijoy.urevised.com



Nuala Young (posted by eileen)
- e-mail: nualayoung@hotmail.com or vineandfigtree@hotmail.co.uk
- Homepage: http://www.figs-and-vines.poijoy.urevised.com

Comments

Display the following comment

  1. pictures ? — peace-defender

Publish

Publish your news

Do you need help with publishing?

-->

Kollektives

Birmingham
Cambridge
Liverpool
London
Oxford
Sheffield
South Coast
Wales
World

Other UK IMCs
Bristol/South West
London
Northern Indymedia
Scotland

South Coast [navigation.actions2016]

South Coast [navigation.actions2015]

South Coast [navigation.actions2014]

NATO 2014

South Coast Actions 2013

G8 2013

South Coast Actions 2012

Workfare

South Coast Actions 2011

2011 Census Resistance
August Riots
Dale Farm
J30 Strike
Occupy Everywhere

South Coast Actions 2010

Flotilla to Gaza
Mayday 2010
Tar Sands

South Coast Actions 2009

COP15 Climate Summit 2009
G20 London Summit
Guantánamo
Indymedia Server Seizure
University Occupations for Gaza

South Coast Actions 2008

2008 Days Of Action For Autonomous Spaces
Campaign against Carmel-Agrexco
Climate Camp 2008
G8 Japan 2008
SHAC
Smash EDO
Stop Sequani Animal Testing
Stop the BNP's Red White and Blue festival

South Coast Actions 2007

Climate Camp 2007
DSEi 2007
G8 Germany 2007
Mayday 2007
No Border Camp 2007

South Coast Actions 2006

April 2006 No Borders Days of Action
Art and Activism Caravan 2006
Climate Camp 2006
Faslane
French CPE uprising 2006
G8 Russia 2006
Lebanon War 2006
March 18 Anti War Protest
Mayday 2006
Oaxaca Uprising
Refugee Week 2006
Rossport Solidarity
SOCPA
Transnational Day of Action Against Migration Controls
WSF 2006

South Coast Actions 2005

DSEi 2005
G8 2005
WTO Hong Kong 2005

South Coast Actions 2004

European Social Forum
FBI Server Seizure
May Day 2004
Venezuela

South Coast Actions 2003

Bush 2003
DSEi 2003
Evian G8
May Day 2003
No War F15
Saloniki Prisoner Support
Thessaloniki EU
WSIS 2003

IMCs


www.indymedia.org

Projects
print
radio
satellite tv
video

Africa

Europe
antwerpen
armenia
athens
austria
barcelona
belarus
belgium
belgrade
brussels
bulgaria
calabria
croatia
cyprus
emilia-romagna
estrecho / madiaq
galiza
germany
grenoble
hungary
ireland
istanbul
italy
la plana
liege
liguria
lille
linksunten
lombardia
madrid
malta
marseille
nantes
napoli
netherlands
northern england
nottingham imc
paris/île-de-france
patras
piemonte
poland
portugal
roma
romania
russia
sardegna
scotland
sverige
switzerland
torun
toscana
ukraine
united kingdom
valencia

Latin America
argentina
bolivia
chiapas
chile
chile sur
cmi brasil
cmi sucre
colombia
ecuador
mexico
peru
puerto rico
qollasuyu
rosario
santiago
tijuana
uruguay
valparaiso
venezuela

Oceania
aotearoa
brisbane
burma
darwin
jakarta
manila
melbourne
perth
qc
sydney

South Asia
india


United States
arizona
arkansas
asheville
atlanta
Austin
binghamton
boston
buffalo
chicago
cleveland
colorado
columbus
dc
hawaii
houston
hudson mohawk
kansas city
la
madison
maine
miami
michigan
milwaukee
minneapolis/st. paul
new hampshire
new jersey
new mexico
new orleans
north carolina
north texas
nyc
oklahoma
philadelphia
pittsburgh
portland
richmond
rochester
rogue valley
saint louis
san diego
san francisco
san francisco bay area
santa barbara
santa cruz, ca
sarasota
seattle
tampa bay
united states
urbana-champaign
vermont
western mass
worcester

West Asia
Armenia
Beirut
Israel
Palestine

Topics
biotech

Process
fbi/legal updates
mailing lists
process & imc docs
tech