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TechnoratiMore Than 30 Arrests at Aldermaston Anti-Nuclear Protest
Aldermaston, England - More than 30 people were arrested yesterday during one of the biggest anti-nuclear protests at the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston for 10 years. The gates of the site were blocked as people attached themselves to concrete blocks which had to be broken apart by police. Others climbed scaffolding or lay in the road at the demonstration by about 400 people to mark the start of the UN World Disarmament Week.
![[Pat Sanchez lies blocking the gates at the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston yesterday morning. (Rochdale online)]](http://www.commondreams.org/files/article_images/nukeprotest1028.jpg "nukeprotest1028.jpg")
They were protesting
against a decision to modernise the Aldermaston plant in Berkshire and
plans to develop a new warhead for nuclear missiles that the government
wants to buy to replace the Trident system.
The government plans to spend nearly £6bn on Aldermaston over the next three years. Ministers claim the money is needed to preserve Britain's ability to manufacture nuclear warheads safely; they say a decision has not yet been taken to develop new, "more usable" warheads with the help of American knowhow.
The Guardian revealed earlier this year that one of the MoD's senior officials told a private meeting of arms companies that a decision to replace the existing stockpile of nuclear warheads had already been taken despite ministers repeatedly denying there were any plans to replace them and insisting that no decision would be taken until the next parliament, probably sometime after 2010.
Daniel Viesnik, spokesman for Trident Ploughshare, said: "The government does not seem to take notice of anything else other than direct action. We are opposed to the development of a new generation of warheads and protesters feel more extreme measures like [yesterday's] have to be used to get attention."
Kate Hudson, chair of CND, said the protest showed there was a strong increase in public support for nuclear disarmament.
6 Comments so far
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The status quo of wealth and power concentration requires ever more lethal and irrational means of applying force by threat or use because such concentrations are not natural in a mature and successful species. On the surface that may sound a little soft-headed, but consider that nowhere in the natural world are creatures that hoard the necessities of survival beyond their seasonal needs---ants, spiders, squirrels, etc. But, while a stronger lion, say, will beat a weaker lion to a kill, leaving a bit to trickle down to the hyenas, it won't keep on killing and banking prey to the detriment of its fellow beasties. Nor will they trick out the basic survival system to unfairly favor themselves.
Humans, on the other hand, do. It takes a lot of force to pack 80% of assets into the top 1% of people. And as we know from 1984, the nukes are not aimed at an enemy somewhere else. As we know from physics, there is always an equal and opposite force in an equation. Seven billion units of equal and opposite force. The likely outcome of these forces coming together, either slowly or all at once, would lay waste the only planet we have, marking us, once and for all time, an unsuccessful species.
Nature has been trying for a long time to produce a species appropriate to this planet. The people reclining on the pavement should have their DNA saved and distributed. The people stock-piling their wealth and nukes should stand closer to their work.
Obama says he would "spread the wealth around", yet he also supports nuclear power, the mother of nuclear weapons and literal embodiment of the concentration of power in the hands of the few. The right really likes nukes. Soooo, looks like the top likes nukes. I don't know why the republican base likes nukes---maybe because there are lots of great plumbing jobs involved...
Cheers.
who are the missiles to be aimed at now the cold war is over? the robots keep building themselves because the economy moves better when its weaponizing.
There are on-going events at the gates of the Y-12 National Security Complex, a fully operational nuclear weapons production facility located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance (OREPA) hosts weekly vigils, an annual protest of nuclear proliferation on the anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki [August 6th, 9th] and a yearly big rally event (1000+ some years). The next big rally will take place on Saturday, April 4, 2009. Other groups (not affiliated with OREPA) do acts of civil resistance similar to the Aldermaston action at Y-12 after the big rally's. For more info see: www.stopthebombs.org or www.MISTBC.org
See you in Oak Ridge, and don't forget to invite the politician of your choice.
Peace Now
WOW! only two comments!
Are CD'ers in favor, as Obama is, in nuclear power plants for the U.S.?? I'm just shocked, appalled and saddened by it all.
They should just off-shore the bomb building to China. Clinton probably already sold them all the drawings, anyway.
Wasn't there something about the old bombs and missiles no longer fit the new subs? Oops! Planned obsolescence, MIC style. The Brits don't need this stuff anymore, they should just go check out the new Bond movie.
Can't we please have a huge anti-nuclear protest targeted at Obama & his pro-nuclear policies??? Is there any argument that could persuade voters not to vote for the pro-war pro-nuclear candidates & parties??