70 Arrested At V-Bomber Base

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30129, 13 May 1963, Page 15

70 Arrested At V-Bomber Base

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter —Copyright) . LONDON, May 12. Police made 70 arrests yesterday as about 500 nuclear disarmers stormed the Royal Air Force V-bomber base at Marham, Norfolk. The demonstrators clashed for several hours with a cordon of several hundred police and R.A.F. security officers. A strong 1 guard, including troops with dogs, was patrolling the base early today.

The demonstrators, led by members of the Committee of 100, had tried to claim the base after they “bought” its planes, • missiles and atomic bombs at a mock auction they conducted nearby. Squadrons of bombers and weapons went under the hammer for £1 each. Buyers were given "bills of sale” to stick on their “property” at the base to “reclaim it for peaceful purposes.” ' They went to the heavilyguarded base—where entry is forbidden under the Official Secrets Act—and were confronted by lines of police. Some groups of demonstrators broke into the base through the police cordons but were quickly arrested. Other demonstrators then tried to throw one of their members over the fence into the base. R.A.F. police caught the man and threw him back. At one stage the man was passing over the fence like a ball in a tennis • match. The demonstrators retreated after making another unsuccessful bid to break through the police lines. ’ Later, groups of shouting demonstrators rallied at a special schoolroom court set up to deal with those arrested. They tried to break into a heavily-guarded barn where their arrested colleagues were being held, but they were surrounded by police After dark, police rebuffed another attempt to break into Marham base. Some of the demonstrators were fined £2 for obstructing the highway after they

sat down in the streets near the court hearing. Others were released -,n bail or remanded in custody on charges, under the Official Secrets Act. of breaking into the base. Other demonstrators during the night handed out copies of a document giving » details of “Fallex 62, a N.A.T.O. exercise” and “exercise paraplui.”