October 2017
IN THIS E-BULLETIN
BRITISH ACTIVISTS FOUND NOT GUILTY FOR FIGHTER JET DISARMAMENT ATTEMPT
GREENPEACE ARRESTS AT FRENCH NUCLEAR POWER PLANT
TWO ACTIVISTS HANDCUFFED AFTER MOCK DRONE ATTACK BLOCKS CREECH BASE
ANTI-DRONE PROTESTER ARRESTED BLOCKING TRAFFIC INTO BEALE AFB
PLEASE SUPPORT IMPRISONED ANTI-NUCLEAR AND ANTI-WAR ACTIVISTS – THE NUCLEAR RESISTER NEEDS YOU!
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British activists found not guilty for fighter jet disarmament attempt
On the afternoon of October 26, Reverend Daniel Woodhouse and Sam Walton, a Quaker activist from London, were found not guilty following their January 29 arrest for trying to disarm fighter jets at BAE Systems in Warton, England. After breaking into the site, the two men got within five feet of the warplanes before being stopped by BAE security. Their aim was to stop the jets from going to Saudi Arabia, where they would be used to support the ongoing bombing of Yemen. They successfully argued in court that their intention was to save innocent lives and prevent war crimes, by physically disabling the warplanes.
In a joint statement after their acquittal, Sam and Daniel said: “We did not want to take this action, but were compelled to do so in order to stop the UK government’s complicity in the destruction of Yemen. Thousands of people have been killed in the brutal bombardment, while companies like BAE Systems have profited every step of the way.”
Read more here.
Greenpeace arrests at French nuclear power plant
About 15 Greenpeace activists set off fireworks inside a nuclear plant in eastern France early on Thursday, October 12 after breaking into the facility to bring attention to its vulnerability to attack. The fireworks were set off at the foot of a spent-fuel pool, where nuclear plants store highly radioactive fuel rods that are removed from reactors after their use. Eight people were taken into custody by police, and a local prosecutor said they face five years in jail and $89,000 in fines.
Read more here.
Two activists handcuffed after mock drone attack blocks Creech base
On Friday, October 6, during the early morning commute into Creech Air Force Base, Codepink and other activists re-created a drone wedding party attack. The “wedding party” then walked along Highway 95, with a sign that read, “USA Wedded To War”. The protesters proceeded to have a “die-in” in the entrance road to the drone base. Police gave them a five minute warning to leave the area, and JoAnn Lingle and Toby Blomé were handcuffed and taken to the Las Vegas jail when they refused to do so. The two women were released after being detained for nine hours.
Read more here.
Anti-drone protester arrested blocking traffic into Beale AFB
To mark the 16th anniversary of the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan, northern California anti-drone activists expanded their monthly protest to include three major commute gates at Beale Air Force Base. On October 17, Toby Blomé was arrested while blocking early morning rush hour traffic into the Marysville, California drone base. She was later cited and released, and faces federal trespass charges. Scores of activists have been arrested at anti-drone protests at Beale over the past several years. Beale is home of the U.S. Global Hawk Drone, which is intimately involved in the U.S. drone program by surveying, tracking and identifying potential targets for remote killing.
Read more here.
Please support imprisoned anti-nuclear and anti-war activists – The Nuclear Resister needs YOU!
The Nuclear Resister is a bare bones operation that depends on grassroots support to chronicle anti-war and anti-war resistance, and support the women and men in prison for their acts of conscience. We need your help to continue this work – please read more here!! Or go directly here to make a secure online donation and find information about how to send a check. Each and every donation, large or small, will be gratefully received – thank you!