2 NEWS guardiannews@src.gla.ac.
uk 16th OCTOBER 2007
Year long blockade
is far from the end
Nearly two hundred
protesters were arrested in one day
during the concluding demonstra-
tion of a year long campaign at the
Faslane nuclear base.
The final day of the Faslane
365 Project saw police arrest a total
of 171 people, with all involved
released the following day without
charge. It is estimated that 1000
people travelled to the facility, just
miles from Glasgow, to blockade all
of its gates.
The project began on October 1st
2006 in opposition to the decision to
replace the Trident nuclear missile
programme. Protesters attempted to
blockade the naval base every day for
one year. Since it began, demonstra-
tors successfully blockaded the gates
Nearly 7000 protesters marched through central London last week, demanding an end to the British military of the base for a total of 188 days.
presence in Iraq and Afghanistan. It was the first occasion that they had been allowed to breach a 19th century ban More than 1000 people were arrested
on protests directly approaching Parliament.
However, the marchers were still prevented by police from entering Parliament Square itself. The student bloc
responded by blocking a major central London road junction for around an hour.
"For the first
Among the crowd was a delegation from the University of Glasgow, including activist Julie Sherry.
Describing her reasons for protesting, she said: "We are proving to the police that they don't have the upper hand, time all the
and that we will fight attacks on our right to protest. The world needs us on the streets – we won't back down, we
won't retreat." [Photo and reporting: Raymie Kiernan] gates to the base
were blocked."
Native Arabic speakers/translators for taking part, and 51 cases have
gone to court. Estimates place the
needed for documentary film total cost of policing at £5 million.
•
Over 131 autonomous interest
Are you a native Arabic speaker? groups contributed to Faslane 365.
• Are you concerned about the ongoing Palestinian refugee issue? The nuclear arms debate has attracted
•
protests from organisations ranging
Are you interested in documentary filmmaking? from Greenpeace and Friends of
the Earth, to faith groups such as
I am a photographer who worked in Lebanon over the summer of 2006 and the beginning of Buddhists Quakers and Christians.
2007. During that time I started a film project to cover the recent conflict and resulting political Unity, the union of asylum seekers,
turmoil. This film is likely to be funded by Scottish screen, and your help will contribute to the also took part in the campaign.
final production. Three coaches full of activ-
ists travelled from Glasgow to
the Faslane base. Annie Straus, a
student at the Glasgow School of
Art, described the atmosphere at the
‘Big Blockade’.
She said: “We met at four in
the morning, hoping to arrive at
the base for seven, to coincide with
You will be involved with a documentary making team, working on a word to word basis to
translate approximately 5-7 hours of footage (shot mainly in Palestinian refugee camps from
December 2006 to January 2007).
Work time is entirely flexible and studio location is in the west end of Glasgow.
Most footage is set in Lebanon, and local dialect will be heavily involved in the translation.
Personnel at this stage (including the director and other editors) would be working on a non-
paid basis. However, once the film moves beyond the pilot stage there will be monetary reward,
and your name will be also credited in the film.
Please feel free to contact me for further details:
Name: Ke Cai
Mobile: 0796862001
Email: cai.ke@hotmail.com
George Binning
the shift changes at the base. When
we arrived we headed for the south
side but unfortunately there were
not enough people to fully block
the south gate. It was frustrating as
we witnessed coaches and lorries
entering the base."
But according to Jane Tallents,
one of the organisers behind Faslane
365, numbers swelled later in the
morning.
She told Guardian: “It was very
successful – for the first time all
the gates to the base were blocked.
People were also demonstrating at the
Coulport base where the warheads are
stored. We certainly had an impact
on the base, despite what the navy
will tell you.”
Protesters used a range of innova-
tive techniques to blockade the enter-
ances and exits. These included the
use of superglue, cement and cara-
binas to join themselves in chains
across the road.
Religious ceremonies, academic
seminars and musical and theatrical
performances were held in the gate-
ways, and several members of the
Scottish Parliament attended the day
of events.
According to Annie Straus, the
day had a “carnival atmosphere”.
“I found the police quite friendly,”
she said, “And many were interested
in why we were there and how we
felt.”
A spokeswoman for Strathclyde
Police agreed with Ms Straus.
She stated: “The protesters were
all in good spirits and it's some-
thing they believe strongly about.
Obviously the police have to take
action if they commit an offence.”
Ms Tallents stressed that the
campaign is far from over.
She said: “We’ve still got nuclear
weapons here, so the protest will
continue.”
PHOTO: ANNIE STRAUS