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24 March 2003 |
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As Police in riot gear and US servicemen looked on, peace protesters knelt to lay flowers and pray at the gates of RAF Fairford. The airbase became the focus of a major show of anti-war solidarity by rock stars, comedians, academics and people from all walks of life. Against them, lined along the country lanes and blocking the entrance to the airbase, were 1,000 police officers from as far afield as Manchester and Essex. It was the largest police operation seen in Gloucestershire. The demonstrators knelt, said prayers and laid flowers for the innocent people of Iraq. While the marchers assembled, cruise missiles were being loaded on to B52 bombers. At one point a military helicopter hovered low over the marchers who hurled abuse and responded with the universal peace sign. An estimated 2,000 people from all walks of life attended Saturday's rally. Speakers including CND pioneer Pat Arrowsmith, leading environmentalist George Monbiot and TV comedian Mark Thomas. Thom Yorke, lead singer of rock band Radiohead, also addressed the crowd, saying: "The US is being run by religious maniac bigots that stole the election and they need this war to win the next election. It is not moral, it is self-seeking." Isabel Swift, 22, the Worcester organiser for the Stop the War Coalition, said the American air force and soldiers had a global responsibility not to take part in the war with Iraq. Many took up the chant "Bush, Blair, the CIA, how many kids have you killed today?" as the rally kicked off, led by police on horseback. Zabier Ali, 21, from the Worcester Stop the War Coalition, said: "I don't like Saudi Arabia or Kuwait because they are not democratic regions either. "But they help America out and that's why we are not at war with them. This war is not moral or right and that is why we are all marching." Well-known local anti-war campaigners taking part in the march included Grace Trevett, recently returned from Baghdad after her mission to act as a human shield, and Stroud mayor John Marjoram. Several demonstrators hurled abuse down their microphones at the Americans who watched silently from behind the perimeter fence, but the vast majority of the marchers protested peacefully. Coach-loads of marchers came from as far away as Swansea and Kent, with scores of marchers from the different peace movements, including the Gloucestershire Weapons Inspectors. Police escorted back to London three coach-loads of marchers who they suspected had been intent on causing problems. Furious demonstrators claimed it was an attempt to withhold their right to peaceful protest. The massive police operation was declared a huge success with only six arrests made for minor offences. One man was led away by police when he refused to remove his helmet for the police cameras. Another woman from Swansea, who chained herself with handcuffs to the perimeter fence, escaped arrest. The march was tightly controlled by Gloucestershire Constabulary and police had guarded all roads leading close to the perimeter fence since dawn. Acting Deputy Chief Constable Martin Baker, the Gloucestershire Constabulary Gold Commander for the operation, said: "By using sophisticated public order policing techniques normally employed in major towns and cities and by making key arrests at critical times during the operation, we were able to operate very effectively in a very challenging rural environment." Before the protests began, the leaders of the demonstration warned members to stop trying to trespass into the base following hard-line warnings by US National Guard forces policing it. The US forces warned that if protesters broke into the base, as in previous weeks, the "use of deadly force" was authorised. The warning, issued in the latter part of last week, read: "Both police forces and the United States Air Force wish to remind members of the public that RAF Fairford is an active military base where aircraft manoeuvres are now taking place. "All these agencies would like to highlight the inherent dangers which any trespass presents. "Anyone who unlawfully gets into the base property could place their own lives and those of others in danger while aircraft movements and other associated activity is taking place."
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