The Nuclear Resister

by Bonnie Block

On April 1, 2015 a six person jury found me guilty of trespassing at the Volk Field Open House because I handed out leaflets with four questions about drone warfare in the parking lot of the Wisconsin National Guard Museum. National Guard personnel deemed that “propaganda” sight unseen. The result was my arrest, being charged with trespass, pretrial motions to greatly limit the evidence I could present to the jury and ultimately the trial. The fine was $232 but I felt I couldn’t in good conscience pay it.

So Judge Paul Curran sentenced me to serve five days in the county jail. After I was “booked in” and issued my orange jump suit and orange plastic clogs, I was escorted to Pod A where I became the 7th woman living in a two-story cinderblock room about 35 by 15 feet. The front half was common space with metal tables with stools or benches attached, a TV high the wall, a cabinet with the various request forms and some books & games or puzzles and two phones. The front wall was one-way glass so guards in the “bubble” could see in but we couldn’t see out.

from Action AWE

ACTIVISTS CARRIED OUT SUCCESSFUL BLOCKADES AT BURGHFIELD NUCLEAR WEAPONS FACILITY TWICE IN MARCH; POLICE CHOSE NOT TO MAKE ANY ARRESTS

Summary of the 3 blockades at AWE Burghfield on March 2, 2015

Taken from on-site witnesses and compiled by Angie Zelter on 10th March

The Thames Valley Police Liaisons informed Action AWE at the weekend that there was a green line painted on the MoD road (The Mearings) and that anyone stepping across this would be arrested. On the day it was evident that several hundred police had been drafted in from many parts of Britain, including Devon and Wales. It was also soon evident that the majority of the AWE Burghfield staff had been given the day off and that construction vehicles had been told not to come that day. This was a success in itself.

photo by Ted Majdosz

by Art Laffin

From Holy Thursday morning to Good Friday, some 25 friends gathered in D.C. for the annual Holy Week Faith and Resistance retreat sponsored by the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker and Jonah House communities. We were especially blessed to have with us students from Loras College from Iowa and members of the New Jerusalem Community from Philadelphia. The theme of the retreat was: “Put Away the Sword.” Holy Thursday was a day of reflection, sharing, action planning and Liturgy. Good Friday was a day of public witness.

Photo by John Amidon

from Nevada Desert Experience

On April 1, about 40 people participating in the annual Sacred Peace Walk went to Creech Air Force Base in Nevada. After some of the group entered the public roadway into Creech, Clark County Metro Police redirected traffic to the West Gate a mile away. After a five-minute warning, three of the activists were arrested when they continued praying in the roadway.

The prayer-action was in response to the peace and justice violations committed by the U.S. Air Force at Creech, including regular assassinations by drone at the behest of the CIA. The three who were arrested – Judy Kehr, Joan Monastero and Marcus Page-Collonge – have a court date in Las Vegas City Court on May 20.

photo by Ellen Grady

from Upstate Coalition to Ground the Drones and End the Wars

At 9:15 a.m. on March 19, the 12th anniversary of the U.S.’ illegal invasion of Iraq, seven members of the Upstate Coalition to Ground the Drones and End the Wars shut the main gate of the Hancock Drone Base (near Syracuse, New York) with a giant copy of the U.N. Charter and three other giant books – Dirty Wars (Jeremy Scahill), Living Under Drones (NYU and Stanford Law Schools), and You Never Die Twice (Reprieve).

The nonviolent activists also held a banner quoting Article 6 of the U.S. Constitution, stating that every treaty signed becomes the supreme law of the land. They brought the books to Hancock to remind everyone at the base of the signed treaties that prohibit the killing of civilians and assassinations of human beings.