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| Britain |
| Protesters arrested at Scotland naval base |
| 2007-10-02 |
| Dozens of anti-nuclear protesters were arrested Monday as they marked the end of a year-long campaign at a submarine base in Scotland, police said. An estimated 500 demonstrators descended on Faslane Naval Base, on the River Clyde, home of the UK's Trident fleet of nuclear submarines, early today. Many of them started blockading the main entrance by gluing themselves to the tarmac outside and chaining themselves together and to the fence. Police moved in quickly to start removing the demonstrators, making 94 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 five million pounds. Organisers of today's action vowed to mark the occasion through "colourful, creative, and dramatic actions" at the base. Coachloads of people started arriving early this morning, when they were greeted by a large police presence. Protesters blocked the 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 carrying them away to applause from the crowd. Police urged motorists to avoid the area around the base while the protest lasts. A spokesman for Faslane Naval Base said the protests had not had an effect on the main operations and people inside. He said "They have not really affected us at all." "Some gates have been closed as they have been this morning, but they have never affected the main priority of the base," the spokesman added. |
| Posted by:Seafarious |
| #4 Sawed off, Swampy. |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2007-10-02 13:55 |
| #3 I'd have let them stay there chained together to the fence. For days and days and days... |
| Posted by: tu3031 2007-10-02 13:05 |
| #2 Police used special cutting equipment to free them Chainsaws and bulldozers would also work. |
| Posted by: Rambler 2007-10-02 12:40 |
| #1 These same protesters celebrate iran's nuclear weapons program. |
| Posted by: Excalibur 2007-10-02 08:46 |