RAF Tornado Disabled, More Arrests at USAF Fairford, UK

national | miscellaneous | news report Saturday March 15, 2003 21:47 by damned good stuff

RAF Tornado Disabled, More Arrests at Fairford

RAF Tornado Disabled, More Arrests at Fairford

go to this page for links and more info:
http://uk.indymedia.org/archive/features/2003/03/2003-03.html#7786

ploughshares activist Ulla Roder entered RAF Leuchars Air Base early Tuesday morning in north-east Fife and damaged a Tornado plane with a hammer, putting it out of action. The Tornado's at Leuchars are important in the UK's mobilisation for war against Iraq, and the base, whose motto is "Attack and Protect", is believed to have been involved in the bombing of Iraq since 1991. Also on Tuesday 11th, 9 'citizen weapons inspectors' cut through fences at RAF Lakenheath and cycled around the base, some locking on and obstructing the runway for 3 three hours.

Prior to Ulla's action, early on the morning of Monday 10th March, two other anti-war activists had breached security at RAF Leuchars in order to inspect the base ahead of its likely illegal use in an attack on Iraq. The action followed a demonstration at the weekend with around 200 people protesting at the base - Full report.

Also at the weekend another 20 people were arrested at USAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, after a group broke into the base (pics + report). A number of people made it onto the runway and delayed the take off of a transport plane (report 2) - landing lights were also disabled. Recently at USAF Fairford a new razor wire fence (pics) was erected by US soldiers right through the bomb spotting camp (pics), and in what is believed to be its first use, Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 has been authorised at Fairford in an attempt to control legitimate peace protests.
[ Gloucestershire Weapons Inspectors | Sabotage - film about property destruction | Oxford Students Stop The War ]