Defence chief jeered
NZPA-Reuter London The British Defence Secretary. Mr Michael Heseltine, was dragged to the ground yesterday as he ran a gauntlet of women peace campaigners.
The incident happened at Newbury, 3km from the Greenham Common airbase where a large campaign has built up over plans to install American cruise nucleartipped missiles.
Earlier more than 60 members of the Greenham Common Women’s Peace Campaign were arrested during demonstrations in which protesters danced on the runway after scaling the perimeter fence.
Several' hundred jeering women tried to block Mr Heseltine’s „ path as he entered a building in New-
bury to address local members of the governing Conservative Party.
The police forced a way through but several women lay down in front of him and he was dragged down for a moment until being hauled to his feet by the police, his clothing dishevelled.
After the meeting a decoy with blond hair similar to Mr Heseltine’s distracted attention while the Secretary slipped out of a side door.
The women's campaign began 17 months ago, aimed at stopping the installation of missiles’ and a makeshift protester’s camp has grown up outside the base. Britain is taking 160 of the 572 cruise and Pershing II missies which N.A.T.O. plans to site in Europe as an answer to Soviet mediumrange missies.
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Press, 9 February 1983, Page 9
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217Defence chief jeered Press, 9 February 1983, Page 9
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