On Thursday, 26th April, a group of autonomous environmentalists shut down RNAD Coulport, the MOD munitions depot where Britain’s nuclear weapons are stored, for a two hour period. The activists used two 15 ft tripods each with a concrete lock-on round one of the tripod legs, to blockade the two roads leading to the main gate of the base. The action was part of the Faslane 365 Environmentalists Block, commemorating the 21st anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster, and in protest at the upgrading of Britain’s Trident nuclear system.
The two activists on the tripod blockading the northern access road were eventually arrested after the cutting team had removed the lock-on, and the climbing team had removed the activist at the top of the tripod, and charged with obstruction of the highway, part of the Roads Scotland Act 1984. They were held in the Faslane police cells for a three hour period before being released outside on the North Gate on caution and pending court dates.
The two activists on the second tripod blockading the shore road eventually unlocked after the northern access road had been cleared, although the activist locked on around one of the tripod legs had time to create additional disruption by unlocking only to super glue their hand to the tripod leg. Circular saws and pneumatic drills were replaced with a bowl of warm, soapy water.
In response to requests from local residents and school children preparing to sit exams, and a local MSP Jackie Baillie, Coulport was chosen as the target of the blockade instead of Faslane to maximise disruption to Britain’s nuclear programme and minimise disruption to local people. It is the opinion of the activists that the policing is responsible for long traffic delays and that police tactics are exacerbating and even capitalising on the disruption caused by the ongoing blockades.
The activists encourage other autonomous groups to take decentralised direct action against Trident and all military operations throughout the UK in order to hold back the growing tide of militarism and the environmental destruction that goes with it.