US Soldiers Storm UK Peace Camp at RAF Fairford

national | miscellaneous | news report Friday March 14, 2003 15:19 by RAF Fairford

Ironic Quote of the Week: 'They told us that if we were in their country then we would be thrown in jail for what we were doing.'

US SOLDIERS STORM CAMP
10:30 - 11 March 2003

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Armed Us troops stormed the peace camp at RAF Fairford and ripped protesters' banners off the fence.

Dressed in boiler suits and armed with serrated combat knives, the men stripped the 10ft steel fence at Gate 10. By 2pm yesterday they were putting up a barbed wire fence to keep the demonstrators at bay.

Gloucestershire police intervened after airforce personnel and 12 protesters began to wrestle with the peace banners.

The campaigners were given 40 minutes to move their camp after local police negotiated between them and airbase staff.

They have now moved several metres away from Gate 10, on Top Road.

Protesters worked through the night to rebuild their camp as B52 bombers tested their engines on the runway.

Sarj, a healthcare worker and a student, said: "The American airforce personnel were very aggressive.

"One soldier hacked at my banner with a combat knife as I was trying to tug it away from the fence.

"They told us that if we were in their country then we would be thrown in jail for what we were doing.

"If the local police hadn't been there the situation could have escalated into something much worse.

"This is just another case of Americans trying to push people about and have their own way and we're not standing for it.

"We are here protesting by rights and in a peaceful manner. We've camped here in temperatures below freezing so something like this isn't going to stop us now."

Protesters have been camping at Fairford since February 17.

Their numbers swelled in the run up to a peace rally on February 23, and more have been arriving each day.

The camp moved to gate 10 when B-52 bombers arrived last week.

Rolls of razor wire were laid inside the perimeter fence to keep them out last Friday.

Ministry of Defence spokesman, Sqn Ldr John Morris, said the special Herras fencing was an extension of security around gate 10.

"The fencing has been put up to help people identify where Ministry of Defence property begins and ends," he said.

"The reason why it has been put up now is that it was a low priority project and this was the last area to be fenced off.

"As far as I know peace protesters were not treated badly and their banners were taken down as they were on MoD property and it was our entitlement.

"The fence has now been moved up to the boundary of MoD property separating it from the highway."

Nuala Young, from Oxford, said: "The security here has been shown up recently with people getting on the runway so this is just too little too late.

"We need to be here to make sure these bombers don't fly off to Iraq without the backing of the UN.

"We are the eyes and ears for the people of this country and are letting them know what is going on with these planes."

Military personnel have also added a heavier and higher security gate to the main entrance. A crane lifted it into place on Friday.

The step-up in security came after two women breached the perimeter fence and got on to the base's 100,000ft runway.

A 61-year-old grandmother from Hull was arrested for aggravated trespass after she breached the perimeter fence and allegedly sat beneath a B-52 bomber for two hours last Monday.

A second female protester was arrested last Tuesday after she climbed on to the fence holding a purple banner reading "no war".

Evesham protester Kate Holcombe has been charged with criminal damage amounting to £8,000 after the main gate was pulled down during the peace demonstration on February 23.

Yesterday, a further nine protesters were arrested and charged with aggravated trespass after an alleged break-in at the base.

The group were accused of cutting through the fencing.

Gloucestershire protester Dave Cockcroft said: "Last night, we had a few drinks and are in high spirits. We're all hanging in there and refuse to be intimidated."

He added: "At the moment activity is very quiet on the base. They're moving some of the bombers around but other than that it seems very quiet."

Peace protesters at RAF Fairford were warned on March 6 they could be taking their lives in their hands if they break into the US airbase.

Police said trespassers will be putting themselves in danger because of aircraft manoeuvres.

A total of 14 B-52 bombers are stationed on the base and there have also been sightings of 63-ft U2 spy planes and C-17 Globemaster cargo planes.