Women's Gate blockade Aldermaston 15 Feb - Violence Against Women Theme
THE BIG BLOCKADE: ALDERMASTON 15 FEBRUARY 2010
>
> The Women’s Gate
>
>
>
> It’s only a month away! The plan is to impede
> work on the UK’s planned new warhead for the
> Trident nuclear missile system by closing down
> all seven gates of the Atomic Weapons
> Establishment Aldermaston simultaneously. This is
> an invitation to come to Aldermaston, in rural
> Berkshire, to share in a women’s action as part of the Big Blockade.
>
> Who’s organizing? The Big Blockade is being
> organized by Trident Ploughshares and supported
> by CND, Aldermaston Women’s Peace Camp and other
> groups. The women’s gate blockade is being
> organised by Women from AWPC, Women in Black
> against War, the Women’s International League for
> Peace and Freedom, Women against NATO and the
> London Feminist Network. We, among other groups,
> are already mobilizing members. We hope that over
> the next few weeks many more groups and
> individual women will commit themselves to join the blockade.
>
> What’s the aim? As women, our plan is to close,
> for as long as we can, one of the gates of AWE.
> Known as the ‘Home Office Gate’, it is one of two
> entrances used by 50% of Aldermaston’s workers.
> Other gates will be blockaded by groups of men
> and women from Scotland, Wales, England and other
> countries; by students, cyclists and ‘faith’ groups.
>
> Why Aldermaston? Aldermaston houses the
> facilities that produce Britain’s nuclear
> warhead. The UK government plan to spend a
> billion pounds each year for the next three years
> on modernizing its dangerous, illegal weapon of
> mass destruction. Greenpeace have estimated a
> £97-billion pound price tag for the renewal plan
> for the Trident submarine-borne nuclear weapons
> system to the year 2050. But although massive
> building work on facilities to test, design and
> build new warheads is already well under way at
> Aldermaston, the final decision about whether to
> go ahead with the new warheads has not yet been
> taken by Parliament. Trident renewal is current
> policy, but it is not irreversible.
>
> Why now? The blockade is timed to take place
> three months before the international
> Non-Proliferation Treaty review conference. The
> new US administration is a touch more committed
> to international cooperation to reduce nuclear
> arsenals than the one it replaced. Here in
> Britain, with the present financial crisis
> dictating cuts in public expenditure, and a
> general election coming up, this is a critical
> moment when we have just a chance of persuading
> politicians to think again. We aim to help
> convince the parties that spending scarce
> resources on Trident while cutting needed services won’t win votes.
>
> What do I have to do? That’s entirely up to you.
> There is a role for everyone to play. The
> blockade will start at 7 am promptly on the
> morning of Monday 15 February. We want to start
> the blockade with as many women as possible
> sitting in front of the gate, to clearly show
> women’s opposition to Britian’s plans to build
> new nuclear weapons. You can sit for a long or a
> short time as you want (if you want to sit for a
> long time, then visit
> <<http://www.activistslegalproject.org.uk/daresources.html>http://www.activistslegalproject.org.uk/daresources.html>
> for some ideas). We also need women to stand
> around the blockade holding banners and placards
> to get our message across. You do not have to
> risk arrest: the police will typically give
> warning before they arrest anyone, which will
> give women who do not wish to be arrested ample
> time to join supporters at the side of the blockade.
>
> Planning. Thirteen women from the groups
> mentioned above came together in London this week
> to plan for the Women’s Gate on February 15. We
> discussed ways of blockading effectively,
> nonviolently and safely. We shared out roles:
> legal support, transport, police liaison,
> coordination, care, first aid, media work etc.
>
> Thinking through the message. We decided that
> Women’s Gate messages will express our feminist
> critique of nuclear weapons and the militaries
> that deploy them, of the UK government’s
> irrational notion of ‘security’, and of NATO with
> its ever-growing, nuclear-tipped ambitions. We
> want to contrast this with the lack of government
> support for women suffering violence – whether
> it’s cuts in funding for rape crisis centres, or
> the lack of funds for women’s refuges, or the
> ever declining conviction rate for rape. We want
> to let the government know what we mean by
> security. As women we’ll refuse violence in every
> aspect of our lives, from home to street, from
> nation to the international arena. Let’s say no
> to violence - whether from fists, boots and
> knives, or from guns and fighter jets – and a
> resounding NO to nuclear weapons.
>
> Bringing our message to Aldermaston. We hope all
> of you will bring your own placards and fence
> decorations with powerful messages, make
> colourful banners, bring musical instruments and
> songs (and any other magic to close down 'our' gate).
>
> HOW TO JOIN IN… If you’d like to join the
> Women’s Gate blockade, it would be helpful
> (though not essential) if you could to let us
> know in advance, by contacting Andrée:
>
> or Tel. 020 8248 0763.
> We shall hold a planning meeting for our women’s
> action at a nearby location from 5 pm on the
> evening of Sunday 14 Febrary. You will also be
> able to stay the night (floorpsace only - bring a
> bed-roll and sleeping bag). There will be a hot
> meal available, bring food to share. Please
> contact Andrée (as above) to book a space, and for access and other details.
>
> Otherwise, just turn up a little before 7 am on
> Monday morning at the gate, dressed in warm and
> waterproof clothes, prepared for darkness, and for bitter or rainy weather.
>
> Getting information. You will find maps, routes
> and addresses, where to leave cars, advice
> concerning safety and risk, legal considerations
> and a mass of other useful information at
> <www.tridentploughshares.org/article 1577> on the
> Trident Ploughshares website. For information
> about AWE Aldermaston and resources for action
> visit the website of the Aldermaston Women’s
> Peace Camp(aign) <www.aldermaston.net>
>
> So come along and bring your friends. There is a role for everyone in
> this diverse, creative, and important protest. Numbers matter.
>
> Every woman counts.
>
> 12 January 2010
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