Activists Arrested at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor Calling for Abolition of Nuclear Weapons

Posted on March 8, 2026

Photo by George Rodkey

On the morning of March 5, more than 40 nuclear resisters of many faiths took part in a procession to the entrance of Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor from the nearby Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action in Poulsbo, Washington. Twelve of the Pacific Life Community (PLC) activists, calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons, walked into the roadway to block traffic. They held signs and displayed a large banner with a quote from Pope Francis: “The Use and Possession of Nuclear Weapons is Immoral”. Some of them carried small bundles wrapped in white shrouds, symbolizing infant victims of war.

Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor, just 20 miles from Seattle, is home to the largest concentration of deployed nuclear warheads in the world. These warheads arm the Trident D-5 missile-launching submarines based at Kitsap-Bangor and are stockpiled in an underground nuclear weapons storage facility on the base. One Trident submarine carries the destructive force of over 1,000 Hiroshima bombs (the Hiroshima bomb was 15 kilotons).

Shortly after they stopped traffic, Washington State Patrol officers escorted the twelve protesters off of the roadway.  They were all given citations for disorderly conduct and released at the scene. 

Photo by Glen Milner

Those cited were: Sue Ablao, Bremerton, WA; Richard Bishop, Stevensville, MT; Susan Crane, Redwood City, CA; Clancy Dunigan, Langley, WA; Ed Ehmke, Menlo Park, CA; Kathy Kelly, Geneva, IL; Greg Mellor, Los Angeles, CA; Mary Jane Parrine, Menlo Park, CA; Gilberto Perez, Bainbridge Island, WA; Lawrence Purcell, Redwood City, CA; Rush Rehm, Redwood City, CA; and Caroline Wildflower, Port Townsend, WA.

After her arrest, Catholic Worker and Plowshares activist Susan Crane said: “When we walked to the front gate of Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor, where Trident submarines with nuclear warheads are deployed, I could see nothing but the practice of more and more horrendous ways of killing people. There’s the stench of the organization of war and the heaviness of a systemized way to kill our brothers and sisters. In light of this horror, in light of the need to stop this insane, wasteful way of organizing death, we stood in the road to block vehicles from going onto the base.” 

In addition to calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons, PLC members also expressed opposition to U.S. wars against Iran and Venezuela and U.S. complicity in Israeli attacks against Lebanon, Syria and Yemen, as well as U.S. provisioning of Israel’s genocidal wars against Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza.  

The protesters then returned to the Ground Zero Center, where Buddhist monks Rev. Senji Kanaeda and Rev. Gilberto Perez of the Nipponzan Myohiji Buddhist Temple on Bainbridge Island, Washington gave a presentation on the significance of the Pacific Northwest Peace Pagoda. Built on Ground Zero property, it is a long-time vision that is now nearing completion, with the inauguration ceremony happening in May.

The nonviolent resistance action at the nuclear submarine base was the culmination of the Pacific Life Community’s annual gathering. Members from California, Washington, Oregon, Illinois, Montana and Nevada spent several days together in Port Orchard, sharing discussion, discernment, prayer, meals and social time. There was music by the wonderful Irthlingz Duo, Sharon Abreu and Michael Hurwicz. Speakers included long-time activist and World BEYOND War board president Kathy Kelly, Sean Arent with Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility and Tacoma attorney Blake Kremer. Elizabeth Murray and John Heid (via zoom) reflected on their arrest at Tucson’s Raytheon plant at the end of the 2025 PLC gathering, and subsequent trial and sentencing.   

The Pacific Life Community is a network of spiritually motivated activists from U.S. Pacific coast and other western states who engage in anti-nuclear direct action. They protest at different nuclear weapons-related sites each year on or around March 1, which is Nuclear-Free and Independent Pacific Day and the anniversary of the Bravo nuclear bomb detonation by the U.S. at the Bikini Atoll in 1954.

From Larry Purcell, published in the Redwood City Catholic Worker newsletter
“My definition of Resurrection is Phil Berrigan’s ass in Jail.”   (William Stringfellow – theologian)
Easter 2026
Dear Friends,
In early March, a group of 45 non-violent resisters to war and nuclear weapons met to encourage and invite one another in our search for “A WORLD WITHOUT WAR.”
Some will say, “This is a utopian search.” It’s good to remember that not long ago slavery was commonly accepted in most parts of our world.  Today, in a few places on earth, women still cannot work outside their homes and are not allowed to decide anything.  My grandparents on my mom’s side of the family were an arranged marriage in the beautiful mountains of Lebanon.  In the beginning, love had nothing to do with their marriage.  The arc of history is long and it bends toward justice and life. Love is not utopian.
Our group of resisters gathered in Bangor Washington which houses the largest stockpile of nuclear weapons in the world.
In 1962, President John F. Kennedy met with the Joint Chiefs of Staff.  These high ranking soldiers discussed a possible nuclear exchange between major powers and mentioned in passing that there would be a minimum of 30,000,000 U.S. casualties. Yes, that is correct “Thirty Million U.S. casualties.”  These nukes are often described as guaranteed Peace through “Mutual Assured Destruction” or “MAD” for short. Kennedy was so upset and disgusted he walked out of the meeting prematurely.
There is a railroad track running right into the middle of the Naval Weapons Facility at Bangor Washington.  As a 21 year old, I stood on similar tracks in Germany that led right into the middle the Dachau Death Camp. These weapons will be flying ovens that will vaporize everyone and everything from San Francisco to San Jose:  our children….hospitals…. families and their homes….schools…libraries…churches and synagogues….neighborhoods…everything GONE IN A FLASH! We will not be able to find Redwood City let alone the loves of our lives.  The “living” will rise up with the nuclear cloud and find God. The dead will be condemned to wander the earth alone. They will know hell on earth.
“What you did to the least of these you did to me.”  (Jesus) OMG!  OMG!! OMG!!!
The reason William Stringfellow described Resurrection as “Phil Berrigan’s ass in jail”  was because Phil’s  lifelong resistance and residence in Jail meant “LIFE IS STRONGER THAN DEATH.”
At the end of our retreat, twelve of us (Susan Crane and myself included) were arrested for “disorderly conduct.”  We temporarily blockaded the entrance to the home of Trident Nuclear Submarines and the “first strike” missiles they carry. Each of the 7 Trident Nuclear Subs in the Pacific carry 24 missiles.  Eight more Trident Nuclear Subs lurk in the Atlantic Ocean.  Each missile carries 8 separately targeted nuclear bombs.  These missiles and bombs can travel 4,000 miles in 30 minutes and have an accuracy within 300ft.  The only reason to have so many warheads with such power and accuracy is if these weapons are made to be used first and take out hardened land missiles in Russia and China; and take out their command and control centers; and take out their airplanes and their ships.  Of course, there will be mistakes and a few targets will not be taken out – ergo 30,000,000 U.S. casualties. This is not security. This is MADNESS.
Many years ago, Dorothy Day said “What we do is very little.”  That is correct today. Nevertheless, we each must do whatever we can to celebrate life over death.
HOLY EASTER
Larry Purcell, Ronnie Georges, Susan Crane, Aurora Thibault and J Arthur White