Faslane Nuclear Submarine Base blockaded

Trident Ploughshares activists blocked the North Gate of the base from 7am to 9:30am bearing a banner which read TRIDENT ILLEGAL IMMORAL while six Faslane Peace Campers blocked the South Gate from 7am to 11am. Just 6 days after the Scottish elections the activists were calling for the anti-Trident SNP government to fulfil its commitments and demand immediate disarmament of Trident. The Peace Campers were released on undertakings to attend Dumbarton Court while the four TPers were released after 28 hours without charge.

Scottish CND secretary Janet Fenton said " Once again the Scottish people have voted overwhelmingly in opposition to nuclear weapons. This time, there is a clear parliamentary majority to put pressure on the UK Government to remove these illegal weapons from Scotland.  We are here today to remind the new administration of the strength of feeling and the support that it can expect from the Scottish people in requesting an opinion from the Lord Advocate on the legality of Trident in relation to the Scotland Act requirement for it to uphold international humanitarian law, and calling on the UK Government to remove Trident and enter negotiations to establish a nuclear weapons convention to ban them globally."

Leona O’Neill , speaking on behalf of the Faslane Peace Camp said “We the Peace Camp, are acting today to make clear our objections to a world with nuclear weapons. As residents of Scotland, we are echoing the opinion of the majority of Scottish people and MSP’s who do not wish for a continuing British nuclear weapons programme on Scottish land.”

In June Faslane Peace Camp will mark its continuous presence on the road outside Faslane for 29 years. The two groups, together with Helensburgh CND have maintained a peaceful weekly vigil at the North gate of Faslane for more than three years. Less than a month ago two hundred Christians, including Cardinal Keith O’Brien gathered at Faslane for an Easter Witness for Peace.