Radiohead lead singer Thom Yorke was at the head of the marchers who had found a moorland footpath on an Ordnance Survey map that led to the perimeter fence of RAF Fylingdales, the early warning station.
They exercised their right to walk the path and got within 400 yards of the pyramid-shaped structure.
"There has never been a big protest so close to it before," said Yorkshire CND spokesman Neil Kingsnorth.

The marchers were escorted by a heavy police presence along the A169 Whitby Road from their base camp at Ellers Beck.

The pyramid building shoots a radar beam 3,000 miles into space to pick up any incoming missiles and is currently being upgraded so that it can track as many as five weapons.

Mr Yorke said: "Since 9/11, the US and Britain can now hide this system under the concept of defence against rogue states. The legacy for our children if this Star Wars system is allowed to happen is absolutely terrifying.

Retaliation

"I don't know how Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon, who has authorised this work, can sleep at night. Apparently, there may be some jobs in it, so that's all right then."

Dave Knight, of the Global Network Against Weapons, praised Mr Yorke for making a stand. "So many celebs don't put their head over the parapet because they are worried it will affect their careers. So congratulations, Thom."

Kate Hudson, chairman of CND, said: "This station is part of the US drive for global domination. In their Vision 20/20 they talk about full spectrum military dominance of land, sea, air and space.

"This system will give the US the capacity to wage a first strike war without fear of retaliation."
A statement from protesters who were simultaneously campaigning at Fort Greely, Alaska, was read out and the Americans in turn read a statement from the Fylingdales group.

The North Yorkshire demonstration was one of 100 around the world during Keep Space For Peace Week, 60 of which were held in the United States.

howard.williamson@ypn.co.uk

(See report and pictures from the Global Network)

Dressed in black and wearing sunglasses, the Radiohead front man carried a huge banner on the march, to within yards of the base's missile tracking station.

He was flanked by senior members of the protest group and followed by more than 250 chanting campaigners.

Protesters got closer to the station than they ever have done after CND organisers discovered a public footpath from an Ordnance Survey map leading right up to it.

There was a huge police presence during Saturday's Switch Off Star Wars demo, with more than a 100 officers lining the route and others tracking the marchers over moorland on quad bikes.

The numbers of protesters were greatly increased by the presence of the enigmatic Yorke, who has sold millions of albums with Radiohead and written classic tracks like Creep and Karma Police.

He gave a rousing speech before the march, saying he could not understand why Tony Blair had signed the country up to the Star Wars programme without consulting the people.

"The legacy for our children is absolutely terrifying," he said.

"I hope at the very least we make things extremely inconvenient for Mr Hoon and Mr Blair and make their Saturdays a little bit uncomfortable."

Yorkshire CND said the timing of the demonstration was vital because reports from America suggested the first phase of the defence system could be up and running within weeks, and an upgraded Fylingdales could possibly be on line as early as next Autumn.

Yorke, who travelled to the demo from his home in Oxford, told the Evening Press that the defence system could "trigger a new arms race".

"They claim it's defensive, but it's really offensive," he said.

"They (the US) want to use Fylingdales as an extension of the Early Warning System, which puts us on the frontline of the whole issue."

Yorke said he was surprised at the level of policing on the march for such a small number of people.

Singer Thom is a real star
by Evening Press leader

The lead singer of Radiohead, Thom Yorke, joined 250 demonstrators who used a rediscovered bridleway to the inner security fence 300 yards from Fylingdales Early Warning Station on Saturday, where a message of solidarity was read from protesters at Fort Greely in Alaska.

The regular, rasping note of the Fylingdales radar, being upgraded for its new role in the United States space-based missile defence system, interfered with the message, broad-cast through a loudhailer to those attending the protest, organised by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.

It said: "Our thoughts are with all the people at every Keep Space for Peace demonstration because we are all looking up at the same sky and praying that this precious and shared environment will be spared the warfare and destruction that is occurring on Earth today.

"Destroying international arms control and forcing our allies to adopt this de-stabilising, Cold War-style missile system has escalated the militarisation of the entire Arctic and many other regions of the world.

"Citizens of all countries need to speak out against this American project because its goal is not defence of the homeland, but as Space Command says, 'full-spectrum domination by the American military of all of space and control from space of the Earth below'."

Those demonstrating outside Fort Greely said it was the duty of US citizens and people around the world to oppose President Bush.

Fort Greely is one of the bases from which missiles would be launched into space to destroy incoming missiles detected by Fylingdales and other early warning stations.
Earlier Thom Yorke challenged the Prime Minister over the scheme.

He said: "How dare you, Mr Blair, assume the right to sign us up to Star Wars without consulting us, just assuming that it is the right thing to do, to dominate space and go against every treaty."

Emphasising it was wrong to ignore China and Russia, he said: "I do not understand what is democratic about assuming the right to put weapons in space."

It was daft to think China and Russia would just let it happen.

"It seems the British and the US public are that daft. They are just letting it happen. Why?"

CND's national chairman Kate Hudson said: "The world is an increasingly dangerous place. I think the main reasons for that are the increasingly aggressive policies of our own Government and the current US administration."

As the demonstrators turned away from Fylingdales, where they had been policed by 120 officers from North and West Yorkshire on a one-and-half mile march up from Ellerbeck Bridge, they left a cordon of 80 Ministry of Defence Police to contemplate the end of the message from Alaska.

It said: "Missile Defence is fast becoming the most expensive military project in the history of the world. We reject this bankrupting of our children's future. We are few and far away up here in Alaska but we know you can hear us yelling: 'Keep Space for Peace'."
 

Yorke was billed as the one of the key speakers at the ‘No to Star Wars’ CND rally which took place outside the RAF Fylingdales Warning Base in Yorkshire, near Whitby. Fylingdales is an essential part of the new US ‘Star Wars’ missile defence system, and is the sole official 'Star Wars' base in the UK so far.

The rare public appearance from Yorke guaranteed a larger-than-usual turn out, with travellers both young and old coming from as far as Japan and America for the protest. Yorke chatted candidly to Radiohead fans before stepping up to the podium to deliver a brief speech.

He told the crowd of nearly 400: "Neil (Kingsworth of Yorkshire CND) has given me stuff to read about this that’s kept me asleep at night. How dare Tony Blair sign us up to 'Star Wars' without even giving it a really serious thought…without even consulting us? It’s sickening. It’s important that people like us can get off our backsides and come to these events. We need to make it clear that we will not let America govern the world we live in. Let’s make this a good, positive day."

The 'Star Wars' protest centres around Tony Blair’s support for the 'Star Wars' missile defence system which George Bush is set to launch this autumn. The planned multi-billion dollar system is intended to shoot ballistic missiles out of the air before they reach their target, therefore protecting the West from potential attack. CND and its supporters claim that missile defence is an offensive rather than defensive system and will only serve to heighten global insecurity.

The 'Star Wars' protest marks Thom Yorke’s second public appearance in as many weeks. The week prior he had joined REM on stage at a secret fanclub show at London St James Church (September 15).

For the full story, see next week’s NME, issue dated October 2.
 

RAF Fylingdales, high on the North Yorkshire Moors near Whitby, was first opened in 1962 to give early warning of ballistic missiles bound for the West.

The land is owned by the Ministry of Defence, but the equipment is owned by the US Defence Department.

As well as looking out for missiles, the base also monitors satellites and watches for meteors and other space objects.

The US hopes Fylingdales will soon play a fourth function, as part of its so-called "Son of Star Wars" missile defence system.

The planned multi-billion dollar system is intended to shoot ballistic missiles out of the air before they reach their target, protecting the West from potential attack.

Fylingdales, as well as other bases including in Greenland, would track hostile objects and possibly relay information to interceptor missiles while in flight.

However, the plans have drawn international opposition, and at Fylingdales a series of protests have been held over Britain's involvement.

Opponents such as CND argue that missile defence will restart the arms race, and say Fylingdales' role in the project could make Britain a target for any rogue states whose missile attacks on the US it is designed to help foil.

Fears have also been expressed over the possible ill-effects of radiation from Fylingdales' Phased Array Radar System, although the government has insisted the base poses no threat to the health of local people.

Prime Minister Tony Blair has insisted Britain has "everything to gain" from its involvement in the missile defence system, and opposition to the project has been criticised by a Yorkshire MP as "alarmist scaremongering".
 

The CND protest highlighted the group's opposition to the US 'Star Wars' missile defence system, of which the Fylingdales base is part.

Campaigners say President Bush is expected to announce that phase one of the project is up and running.

The chair of CND, Kate Hudson, was also among 350 participants.

Among the crowd were supporters from Japan who travelled to the UK specifically for the event.

'Pleasant and peaceful'

Neil Kingsworth, of Yorkshire CND, said: "It's been a brilliant atmosphere, pleasant and peaceful yet lively at the same time.

"A lot of people came because of Thom Yorke and it's wonderful that someone like him will take on such a complex issue.

"He told everyone how important it was for them to attend these protests and to keep plugging away as he cannot understand what right America has to be the policeman of the world."

Police confirmed that no-one was arrested and there had been no trouble.

'Control in peacetime'

The Radiohead singer had written a message on the band's website urging people to join the protest.

Ms Hudson said: "This is an offensive rather than a defensive system.

"The reality is that missile defence is about control in warfare and control in peacetime.

"It is about making wars like that in Iraq easier to start and easier to win."

'Nuclear proliferation'

The demonstration was held on the first day of the international "Keep Space for Peace" week.

Mr Kingsworth said: "This action is taking place at a crucial moment at the key Star Wars site in the UK.

"Bush's plans to announce the start of Star Wars this autumn, bringing the threats of nuclear proliferation on Earth and a space weapons race in space closer to reality.

She urged US President George Bush to abandon plans to switch on the missile defence system, which could be as soon - or risk a terrorist backlash and a new arms race.

The Star Wars programme, which could be launched as soon as next week, will do nothing to prevent terrorism or increase security, insisted the South East MEP.

She went on: "It will have the opposite effect, creating a terrorist target at Fylingdales in Yorkshire and heightening global insecurity by firing the starting gun on a new arms race."

CND council member Ms Lucas was speaking as preparations went on for a major CND-organised demonstration against the Star Wars project on Saturday.

Thousands are expected to descend on the Fylingdales RAF base to hear speakers including CND's Kate Hudson and musician Thom Yorke, of Radiohead.

The demonstration will mark the first in a series of events to mark 'Keep Space for Peace Week', involves live music, games, a Star Wars exhibition, a drumming workshop and food stalls.

In her "message of support" Ms Lucas said: "At this time of increasing global insecurity it is ever more urgent that we stand up to plans for a National Missile Defence programme.

"There's nothing defensive about this programme - it is a deeply offensive weapons system, specifically designed to bring about fear and instability, which will trigger a major new arms race.

The MEP added: "True security doesn't lie in National Missile Defence Systems, or ever greater military hardware, or ever increasing defence budgets.

"We will only be more secure when poverty and injustice are eradicated.

"Until we understand the violence of our economic policies, our military policies, and our foreign policies, we will continue to foster the conditions that make terrorism possible."

Thom Yorke – famous for such hits as Karma Police, Creep, No Surprises and Paranoid Android – will walk with around 200 other campaigners who are expected to take part in the demonstration against the upgrading of the radar at Fylingdales for the purposes of American missile defence.

The rally takes place near the slip road to Ellerbeck from noon on Saturday and will include an information stall, marquee and speeches from Thom as well as Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament chairwoman Kate Hudson and Green Party MEP Caroline Lucas.

People from all over the world will be taking part in similar protests against the early warning missile defence which the US wants to install to enable rockets from Russia, China or the Middle East to be spotted early so they can be intercepted.

Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon has said he believes the plans will not change the threat of an attack on the Fylingdales base, but opponents say the scheme would make the UK a target.

Jackie Fearnley, of Goathland, strongly believes the upgrade should not take place.
"The upgrade has already started so it would be easy to give up, but I think it is important to keep up our resistance to this project," she said.

"A lot of people think it is so far-fetched it is not worth worrying about, but it is really happening and it is important to try and get as much information as we can.
"The so-called "Son of Star Wars" project will have a dangerously destablising effect on international relations, enhancing America's perception of its invincibility and making it more likely than ever that they would countenance first strikers on other countries.

"We are told that the stage is a simple computer upgrade, but all the while changes in the balance of power are occurring.

"We don't want to find ourselves 10 years ahead looking back guiltily wondering how we allowed international relationships to be completely dominated by America or our citizenry to be under a system of surveillance and control that undermined all our hard-won freedoms."

Mrs Fearnley said Thom Yorke is very keen on the campaign and has been wearing a Star Wars t-shirt at all of his gigs.

"Hopefully he will bring in the next generation," she said.