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13/04/2015
Blockade at Faslane

Ash Wednesday 2015 After getting up at 4am I went to Hamilton to pick up Katrina at about 4:40am. We arrived in Glasgow at the Kinning Park Complex about 5:15am. We joined others on the bus to go to Faslane ,some of those going to the Blockade slept there the night. We met Svenja.
 
When we got to Helensburgh we stopped and waited for other buses and cars to arrive so we could all go down in convoy. We met Brian in the car park, he was threading a chain under his jumper in preparation for locking on. The lack of toilets is a big issue on these occasions and so many went to the toilets. When I came out the gents, Katrina went in because it was empty and there was a queue at the ladies. I had to stop Patrick Harvey (Greens) going in who happened to arrive at the moment Katrina went in.
 
Ash Wednesday 2015 We all went to different gates with about 50 going to the South Gate and about 130 at the North gate. When we got of the bus we stood on the road in front of the gates to block the entrance, many at this point locked onto others or joined hands through tubes to make it difficult for the police to move them. The police were there in numbers in front of the gate. We stood with our banner and placard which said: Jesus said 'Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you'. You can't love your enemy with a nuclear bomb.
 
After an hour or two we heard that those at the South Gate had been warned of arrest and that the police had started to move people with cutting equipment where necessary. It became clear the police were clearing the South Gate first and that they we were not in danger of being arrested yet. We also heard that bus loads of workers were unable to get into the base so were parked along the road waiting.
 
Others began to join us, Tamara and Stephen with the boys, Emma, Colum and Sister Rosemary with deckchair and banner. We met many people including Alastair McIntosh who wanted to use a picture of our placard in the talk he is giving on Thursday to army generals about non-violence. He offered to come and give us the talk as well.
 
Ash Wednesday 2015 By about 1:30 am we heard that the police had finally cleared the South Gate after making 35 arrests. They could now access the base but due to the delay sent all the workers waiting in the buses home. By about 2pm with the objectives of the day having been achieved we in the North Gate agreed with the police we would leave the blockade at 3pm and go home.
 
None of us at the North gate got arrested. Pictures on the Glasgow Catholic Worker website.
 


Blessed are the peacemakers.
 
Michael