A-Infos (en) In The CAN - the Occasional Newsletter of the Cardiff Anarchist Network - Kicking shit out of the US Air Force

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      A - I N F O S  N E W S  S E R V I C E
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 Since the last CAN benefit  
gig, we've been campaigning 
pretty much non-stop against  
the war in Iraq.   
     CAN diary of 
anti-war events  
(so far........) 
 
February 15th 
- the biggest ever anti- 
war march......
 
 
...and of course CAN was 
there.   
 
Between one and two million 
people marched in London that  
day.   Blair, though, thinks the 
views of his pals in Washington  
matter more than the feelings of  
British people.  So much for  
democracy!! 
 
Why Direct Action? 
After 2 million were ignored,  
why ask?  From the start the 
anti war movement has said 
that we needed a campaign of 
direct action and civil 
disobedience.  If this 
government wanted to go to 
war, our job was to make that 
as difficult as possible to do. 
 
This is why there has been a 
series of protests and actions 
 taking place at Fairford.  This is 
a huge military base in 
Gloucester that our government 
has `given' to the US air force.   
     They are using this base to load 
American B52s and Stealth 
bombers with missiles from an 
arms dump in nearby Welford. 
Fairford is vital for the US war 
plan, which made it an obvious 
target for protest and direct 
action. 
 
Fairford 
Jan 26th ­ Large protest 
`Gloucester Weapons 
inspectors' demand access to 
the base to search for weapons 
of mass destruction.  Dozens of 
protesters got over or through 
the fence to `inspect' the base 
 
Feb 23rd  ­ Protesters 
demand entry to the base 
With war getting nearer, 
protests at Fairford become 
more serious.  US support 
vehicles and personnel have 
been moved onto the base. 
Ropes and `people power' bring 
down the main gate and riot 
police fight to keep out 
protesters determined to do 
whatever possible to stop the 
bombing of Iraq. 
     Protesters determined to stop the bombing 
of Iraq bring down the main gate at 
Fairford US Air force base 
 
2nd March  ­ CAN 
activist joins peace 
camp 
As the US Air Force flies in 
B52s and support planes, a 
peace camp is set up by the 
base.   Peace campers endured 
harsh conditions to monitor 
activity on the base.  Despite 
freezing conditions and driving 
rain,  police prevented them 
using tents or lighting fires for 
warmth.  They have faced 
continued harassment from 
police and US military, but are 
still there, and welcome any 
support that anyone can give. 

     9th March  ­ CAN joins 
action to `stop the bombers' 
Activists from Oxford, Cardiff 
and elsewhere take part in a 
direct action against the base.  
Protesters cut fences and enter 
the base.  Protesters gain 
access to buildings and the 
runway, causing the US military 
to freak out big time!  All flights 
were halted for at least half an 
hour.  
      Above: blocking the runway at Fairford... 
Below: ...and facing arrest 
Not just Fairford.. 

     1st March     ­ BAE 
systems Glascoed 
Unknown to many, one of the 
biggest ammunition suppliers in 
the country is situated just 
outside of Usk in Gwent.  The 
sort of thing produced at 
Glascoed includes  tank shells, 
mortar shells, small arms  
ammunition, missile and  
torpedo warheads and depth  
charges.  It is also thought that  
they are producing depleted  
uranium shells. 
 
 
CAN went to the BAE systems  
site  ­ a complex of buildings  
about the size of a small town ­  
as part of the `site unseen'  
campaign by the Campaign  
against the Arms Trade.  CAN  
entered the site using a  
homemade rope ladder to get  
over an eight foot spiked metal  
fence, and then `inspected' the  
plant, evading security for more  
than an hour.   

     Respect to others... 
 
CAN is only a very small part of 
the anti-war movement.  Across 
the country people have shown 
extraordinary courage and 
tenacity.  Recently two trident 
ploughshares protesters armed 
with bags of sugar put 30 US  
refuelling vehicles out of action  
at Fairford.  At another base,  
another ploughshares protester  
disabled a fighter jet with a  
hammer.   

Much respect to them  ­ they all  
face hefty sentences if  
convicted. 
 
Actions like the ones reported  
on this page have been taking  
place right across the country, 
on almost a daily basis.   
 
Although the level of press  
coverage is minimal, there is  
every indication that the  
government is seriously worried  
by the level of action taking  
place.   
 
At Wellford, the arms dump just  
off the M4 needed to arm the  
bombers at Fairford, another  
peace camp has been set up.  
Activists from London who had 
been at the camp were arrested 
on their way home and charged 
with conspiracy to commit 
criminal damage, despite the 
fact that there had been no  
damage and the protesters 
were going home! 
 
Arrests 
 
The number of arrests made 
across the country, of people 
doing nothing more than 
actively opposing an illegal war, 
must run into thousands.  CAN 
activists have also been 
arrested.  Six people have been 
arrested at the various Fairford 
protests, and three face 
charges that carry a maximum 
sentence of three months 
imprisonment and /or a £2,500 
fine. 
 
Your support tonight is 
vital to help us carry on 
this campaign.....and 
pay the fines !! 
And it still has some way to go.   
Even when the bombs stop 
falling on Iraq, there is much to 
do to stop America simply 
turning on the next  suitable 
victim.  US desire for world 
domination, globalisation and 
rampant capitalism won't 
disappear when Saddam 
Hussein does. 
 
Next Fairford Demo  ­ 22nd 
March; Join us .... 
 
Or just to get hold of us - 
www.geocities.com/bozavine/can 
email bozavine@yahoo.co.uk 
Tel. 07775881139, ask for Snooch 
[Ed. 
Source with pictures....
http://us.geocities.com/bozavine/can/resources/InTheCan/antiwar.pdf

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