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24 October 2002
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Peace protesters ended their blockade of Menwith Hill this morning after 5 hours locked to the gates of the base. Having decided to go home
after bearing up in the intense cold for most of the morning, their point made, the protesters vowed to return to repeat the action when necessary. Despite being given
Aggravated trespass notices, no arrests were made and the protesters left with their locks and banners in hand.
Following the second major breach in security at the base in 18 months, one of the organisers said, "We have made our point. The base has
been severely disrupted for five hours and we have managed to intrude on the US’s war efforts. Let’s hope that they take this seriously. We do not want this base, or
any base, used for a war on Iraq, and we will oppose the use of any UK facilities for such a war. The killing of thousands of innocent people in order to gain dominance
over a region and its oil supplies is sickening. We must all voice our opposition as loudly as we can."
The protesters blocked the only two working entrances to the base and, whilst the police managed to open a small farm gate to allow some
traffic in, vehicles had to cross two fields in order to enter the base proper. Only essential staff were allowed in to the base today – all contractors were turned
away.
The non-violent blockade by an independent group of protesters is an attempt to shut down the base as it prepares for an Iraq war. The
blockade aims to disrupt work to pinpoint potential targets in Iraq currently taking place within the base.
Menwith Hill’s main entrance is currently closed for essential maintenance work and is closed off by concrete blocks and razor wire. Using
D-locks, Tripods and chains the protesters blocked the two side entrance gates (Nessfield gate and Steeplebush gate on the B road off the A59) being used whilst the
repairs take place. By blocking the entrances just before the next staff change-over the protesters stopped the work of the base in very real, practical terms, and in
doing so, stopped the base’s war preparations.
Menwith Hill won an award for its part in the Gulf War of 1991. Its surveillance capabilities will certainly be used for this coming war in
order to pinpoint targets and monitor enemy movements. However, it is also being used as we speak to pinpoint targets, in preparation for a war.
TJ, one of the protesters, said,
"The governments of the US and UK may say that they are trying to avoid war, but at the same time this base is preparing for war.
They are lining up the targets whilst simultaneously sending the troops, planes and ships to the region. Don’t let them fool you – they want a war. Once again,
Yorkshire is at the heart of US planning. Without this – the world’s biggest spy base – war on Iraq would be much harder. It plays a key role in war plans. As a
Yorkshire resident I will not stand by and let this county be used to plan an immoral and unjustified war which aims at nothing more than US dominance in the Middle East.
I will not let the US government use Menwith Hill, or any other part of Yorkshire, for a war in Iraq."
As well as disrupting Yorkshire’s major role in the Iraq war, this blockade shows once again just how vulnerable to attack the base is. It
is not only peaceful protesters that may wish to disrupt this base. Security is still lax.
More information from TJ – 07771 508009 or from media liaison - Neil Kingsnorth 01274 730795.
Detailed further info on the poor security of Menwith Hill is available at
http://www.menwithhill.ukf.net/index.html
and info on Menwith Hill more generally and its role in surveillance and missile defence is available at
www.yorkshirecnd.org.uk
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24 October 2002 |
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EUROPE'S biggest signals intelligence station - the US base at Menwith Hill, near Harrogate - was blockaded for four hours by 20 protesters yesterday, who disrupted a shift change and claimed to have halted preparations for a war on Iraq. The demonstration illustrated how easy it is to interfere with operations in spite of security measures, which include a fourfold increase in Ministry of Defence Police and civilian guards following a humiliating invasion and occupation of the 560-acre site in July, 2001. Just after 5am yesterday two groups of protesters parked on the grass verge and walked 200 yards to the Nessfield and Steeplebush gates on the west side of the base and were able to chain themselves across the entrance. Since the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States, the main entrance has been sealed with concrete blocks and razor wire entanglements, while new security measures are built to prevent anyone trying to drive a car bomb into the base. Military and civilian staff arriving for work at 5.30am found the Nessfield and Steeplebush gates blocked by the demonstrators. Traffic queues formed back on to the A59 as Ministry of Defence Police searched each vehicle in the darkness before allowing drivers to use an alternative access. The demonstrators linked themselves into a human chain by locking their hands together inside steel pipes and chaining themselves to the gateposts. Despite the sub-zero temperatures at the base they blocked the gates until 9.40am. One of the protesters, who identified herself only as TJ, said: "When they threatened to start arresting people we decided to leave and come back another day. We left with all our equipment and nobody was arrested. We felt we had made our point - particularly when United States people in uniform came out to see what was going on and began asking the police why they were not moving us." Menwith Hill, which is being expanded for a "Star Wars" role in President Bush's plans for a space-based missile defence shield, has an impressive signals intelligence capability and won an award for its role in the Gulf War. TJ said the blockade was intended to disrupt work which Menwith Hill was carrying out to pinpoint potential targets in Iraq. "The governments of the US and UK may say they are trying to avoid war, but at the same time this base is preparing for war." CND spokesman Neil Kingsnorth said the protest was part of a series of demonstrations against a war with Iraq, which would include a day of action on Thursday organised by the Stop the War Coalition. It would include a demonstration in Downing Street. A Ministry of Defence Police spokesman said yesterday's protesters had not disrupted access to Menwith Hill or affected its operation because another entrance was available.
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24 October 2002 |
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PEACE campaigners today chained themselves to gates at Menwith Hill in an effort to shut down the North Yorkshire spy base. More than 20 protesters blockaded the controversial U.S. facility - stopping essential staff who were arriving at work from entering. The drama, which began shortly after 5am, was part of a non-violent protest by independent campaigners, Neighbourhood Against The War, highlighting Menwith Hill's role in any possible conflict in Iraq. The blockade ended at about 10am after protesters claimed that police served them with aggravated trespass notices. Campaigners said the protest aimed to disrupt work at the base to pinpoint potential targets in Iraq, should war break out. Menwith Hill's main entrance is currently closed for essential maintenance work and is shut off by concrete blocks and razor wire. The blockade caused chaos on the A59 as protesters, using D-locks, tripods and chains, closed and bolted the two side entrance gates. Campaigners said the blockade had caught security staff completely off-guard. They said that the ease at which they were able to carry out their plans showed how vulnerable the base was to attack. At Menwith Hill, one protester - who wishes to be known as TJ - said: "As a Yorkshire resident I will not stand by and let this county be used to plan an immoral and unjustified war which aims at nothing more than U.S. dominance in the Middle East. "I will not let the U.S. Government use Menwith Hill, or any other part of Yorkshire, for a war in Iraq. The protest caught the staff off-guard." Neil Kingsnorth, Yorkshire CND spokesman, said: "Both gates were shut and locked. There was traffic queuing on the A59 to try and get into the base." A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "They were not causing any disruption to the operation of the base. They were just making a protest." The Evening Press understands that police managed to open a small farm gate, allowing some traffic into the base. Vehicles were having to cross two fields in order to enter the base and only essential staff were being allowed in. Contractors were being turned away.
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