On 15 June, Trident Ploughshares activists working with Bikes Block Bombs, Scrap Cars–Scrap Trident, Aldermaston Women’s Peace Camp (AWPC) and Eastern Region CND blockaded four gates at the Atomic Weapons Establishment Aldermaston, protesting at the building of new nuclear weapons facilities and the lack of democratic accountability.
The surprise blockades caused massive road blockages, preventing construction vehicles from entering Aldermaston. Activists were locked onto concrete (Home Office gate), a caravan (Boilerhouse gate, pictured), cars (Tadley gate) or just to each other (North gate).
Angie Zelter, one of the organisers of the blockade, said: “The blockades today are responsible nonviolent attempts to prevent nuclear state terrorism.”
Janet Kilburn of AWPC said: “The government is due to take fundamental decisions on the replacement of Trident this autumn. They wanted to do it in secret, behind closed doors. Given the current economic situation, blowing £76bn on a useless weapon of mass destruction should surely be a matter for public scrutiny and debate. Our action today is part of the process of bringing this issue out into the open.”
11 people were arrested.