PRESS RELEASE
Protestors to shut top UK military base before G8 Summit
You can't end poverty, unless you end war
27 April 2005: for immediate release
Thousands of peace activists from around the world are planning to non-violently
disrupt one of Britain’s most important military bases on the 4th
July – just two days before the start of the G8 Summit. The protestors
want to close the base and to highlight the way in which the G8 uses militarism
to defend and extend the globalisation that allows the exploitation of
the poor and destruction of the environment.
The demonstration, organised by Trident Ploughshares, CND and Scottish
CND, will be at Faslane naval base – home to Britain’s nuclear
WMD Programme, and activists plan to use their bodies, as well as equipment
such as piping and chains - to physically blockade all of the gates to
the base. Others are expected to try and cut and swim their way into the
top security base to cause the maximum amount of disruption.
A spokesperson for the Faslane G8 Team, Joss Garman, explained, “The
military forces of the G8 are used to kill, maim and poison people all
over the world for the sake of profit and power. That’s business
as usual for the G8.”
He continued, “The G8 will never make poverty history unless they
also make war history. Militarism is one of the greatest causes of poverty
and environmental destruction, and is the means by which western governments
enforce their destructive economic policies.”
There have been a number of successful non-violent blockades at Faslane
in recent years, with hundreds of people arrested, including parliamentarians
and clergy. The Faslane blockades have become renowned for their peaceful,
carnival-like atmosphere, and the protest on July 4th will also be non-violent,
but much bigger, with large numbers of anti-militarist, environmental
and anti-capitalist activists expected to take part.
The day of action at Faslane is supported by a wide range of groups including
UNISON, Stop the War, Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT), G8 Alternatives
and Voices in the Wilderness.
For more information:
Joss Garman 07815 004 578
joss@tridentploughshares.org
www.faslaneg8.com
David Mackenzie 08454588366
media@tridentploughshares.org
Notes for editors:
- The organisers are Trident Ploughshares (www.tridentploughshares.org),
CND (www.cnduk.org) and Scottish CND (www.banthebomb.org)
- Faslane – HM Naval Base Clyde – is 30 miles west of Glasgow,
approximately 60 miles for Gleneagles.
- For information on other actions around the G8 Summit see: www.makepovertyhistory.com,
www.g8alternatives.org.uk
and www.dissent.org.uk
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