A difficult decision to cancel the annual Independence FROM America Day demonstration at NSA Menwith Hill had to be made by CAAB three weeks before because of Menwith Hill being in a 'foot and mouth' infected area.  Instead an alternative demonstration against the proposed use of Menwith Hill and Fylingdales in the American Missile Defense plans was hastily arranged. A 'CAABalcade' of decorated cars using the US flag with STOP STAR WARS set off with a police escort to Menwith Hill via Fylingdales to join a demonstration in Whitby (organised by Fylingdales Action Network (FAN)).

Greenpeace Protestors at Menwith Hill - July 3-4 2001
Banner reads "Star Wars Starts Wars"

Previously we had been assured by North Yorkshire Police that the car park at the Main Entrance to NSA Menwith Hill could be used (as last year) to publicly read the 'Declaration of Independence FROM American Militarism'.  However when we arrived at the Main entrance we were met by a line of Ministry of Defence police and access to the car park was denied.  This was because of the Greenpeace demonstration.

Christine Dean, Laura Hesse (just inside the base) and Lindis Percy publicly read the 'Declaration' out to a crowd of media with CAABalcaders joining in ... so although not as planned the Declaration was publically read.

We drove on to Fylingdales with a police escort in front and behind the CAABalcade. Again because Fylingdales is in a 'foot and mouth' infected area with four new outbreaks this week, CAAB decided not to stop in order to read the Declaration but to drive slowly past sounding the car horns. The media was there to take pictures of the CAABalcade as we drove past leaving a group of MOD police officers huddled around the entrance to the Approach road to the base.

After joining FAN at their information stall near Whitby harbour for another public reading of the Declaration we spent the afternoon with them leafletting, petitioning and making a very visible link between Menwith Hill and Fylingdales and a colourful protest against George W Bush's STAR WARS plans. The demonstration at Whitby ended when a 'mock up' of the Fylingdales phased radar structure which had been on display was led by a police escort to the beach where it was publicly burnt and an extremely large 'STOP STAR WARS' message was left on the sand.

CAAB would like to thank North Yorkshire Police very much for their help in enabling the CAABalcade to drive safely from Menwith Hill via Fylingdales and on to Whitby.

CAAB thanks and congratulates Greenpeace for the excellent professional and well organised protest at NSA Menwith Hill (over a hundred Greenpeace volunteers entered the base and climbed on to the water tower, roof of the substation to the SBIRS radomes and various antenna during the demonstration).

We were very pleased that we were able to brief Greenpeace over several months concerning all aspects of the workings, layout and roles of NSA Menwith Hill.  Despite many people 'trespassing' over many areas of the base no arrests were made under the Military Land byelaws which have been the subject of legal struggle over many years and which are again in contention.

However Lindis Percy has been reported to the High Court by the Ministry of Defence police for an alleged breach of the permanent injunction against her.  She was reported because she allegedly put one foot over the arbitary yellow line which was recently painted on the ground and which the MDP say is the boundary to the base.

More pictures from the day at: www.toxicpop.co.uk/menwith.htm

PLEASE NOTE:

CAAB will be present at NSA Menwith Hill on 14 July 2001 to protest at the fourth test of a prototype interceptor missile.  Details soon on CAAB website.

On-going weekly protest

The weekly demonstration on Tuesday evenings between 7pm and 9pm continue at the Main entrance to NSA Menwith Hill.  We extend a warm welcome to everyone and hope that people will continue to come and join us to protest at the proposed role of Menwith Hill in the American Missile Defense (AMD) system.  CAAB has adopted and continues to use the US stars and stripes flag with the words STOP STAR WARS on as a visible means of peaceful protest against the AMD system. Please bring banners, flags, entertainment etc. 

Provisionally BBC Look North will be coming to NSA Menwith Hill to film and interview CAAB on 17 July 2001.