USAF bases blockaded in Germany

national | miscellaneous | news report Tuesday April 01, 2003 13:38 by Michael Graaf - EcoPeace Roving Ambassador

The troop transports deflected from Shannon go to Frankfurt.

From a recent participant in protest, planespotting and peace camp at Shannon, a report of how activists are responding at the next destination of many USAF/troop charter Shannon stopovers as well as overflights.

On Saturday 29 March, thousands of activists converged on various gates of the Rhein-Main base of the USAF near Frankfurt. The action was convented by a group called resist (see http://resistthewar.de which has an English version, which however lacks the photos to be found in the German).

The form of protest was a blockade, in which people sit on the road at the gates until removed physically by police. This takes time as hundreds offer themselves for arrest, but even if the target of 24 hours was reached it would be rather symbolic, as movement of personnel and materials would not be seriously disrupted, especially as the time of the blockade is publicised in advance.

Nonetheless it is effective as a form of political education and building the peace movement, and I took the opportunity to share my knowledge of activities at Shannon, including the ploughshares-type actions.