Arrests at U.K. air base

Press, 30 July 1985, Page 10

Arrests at U.K. air base

NZPA-AP London Demonstrators protesting against new laws affecting security at the United States Air Force base where 64 nuclear missiles are to be deployed, yesterday broke into the compound and 56 were arrested, the Defence Ministry reported. It said the arrests were made on a variety of charges, including criminal trespass, and the defendants would appear in court. The demonstration was at the Molesworth Air Force base, 80km north of London, which is designated as Britain’s second site to receive American-made cruise missiles. A Defence Ministry spokesman said some of the demonstrators, who were protesting against local laws passed by the Conservative Party Government to tighten security at Molesworth, broke into the base and others tied ribbons and kites to the perimeter fence. The special laws include making trespass at Molesworth a criminal, not civil, offence, and banning sticking leaflets, ribbons or other objects to the fence. A statement by Britain’s Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament said more than 100 people took part in the protest and succeeded in breaking all 17 of the new laws. The first American cruise missiles in Britain arrived in November 1984 and were deployed at the Greenham Common base, west of London.