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RECENT ACTIVITIES BRINGING HOME TO LONDONERS THE TERRORIST THREAT POSED BY NUCLEAR TRAINS THROUGH THE OLYMPIC
London
So, as part of the group’s campaign to get these trains stopped, at least until the Games are safely over, the group got London
The demo consisted of a rally in Victoria Park, followed by a walk passing Hackney Wick station and then following the southern perimeter of the Olympic Site as close as possible (which isn’t very close) to the line taken through the site by nuclear trains between Hackney Wick and Stratford Stations. The walk culminated with a die-in outside Stratford Station representing the deaths caused by a successful terrorist attack on a nuclear train.
Then we were off, over 50 of us, with the sun beating down, over the A102 motorway footbridge from the park, past Hackney Wick station and along the River Lea Navigation Canal towpath, then the raised “Greenway” (actually a grassed-over outfall sewer) with good views of the main Olympic stadium, and then through backstreets to Stratford Station where Theatre of War in death masks led a die-in under the Stratford Station sign and then traced round our bodies and wrote messages on the ground with chalk. The die-in was timed to last 5 minutes, but most participants went on lying on the ground long after that (This may have had something to do with the fact that everybody was exhausted after the extremely hot and sunny walk and that the die-in was in shade.)
Before the march arrived, during the die-in and for sometime after, we had a stall outside the station dispensing information on nuclear power and nuclear trains. At the same time about 1000 leaflets explaining the point of the demo were given out to the people thronging in and out of the station.
The pity was that none of the local papers had bothered to send reporters or photographers to cover the event, in spite of being told about it in advance, and nothing appeared in any local paper apart from the Hackney Citizen. A conspiracy of silence?
Thanks to everybody who helped with this event, particularly Sophie Bolt who organised placard-making,
With a general election looking likely for May, London CND organised a public forum to help build the necessary coalition London CND activists were among 800 campaigners blockading all entrances to the The Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston, Berkshire on Monday 15 February. Protesters were joined by two Nobel Peace Prize laureates - Jody Williams and Mairead Maguire. Spending at AWE on capital programmes has risen from £24m in 2000/1 to £420m in 2009-10. The latest structure proposed for construction is the Enriched Uranium Handling Facility was given planning permission by West Berkshire Council on 10 February despite over 1400 objections.. For more photographs, visit CND's website. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ January 2010 A packed public meeting participated in a discussion with former Mayor of London Ken Livingstone about the need for public investment, not nuclear weapons
followed by Bruce Kent, Vice President, CND, on the steps towards nuclear disarmament
The public meeting was followed by workshops on Nato and Afghanistan, No to Trident replacement, Nuclear trains and the Olympics and No nukes at Aldermaston. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ONGOING ACTIVITIES Nuclear Trains Action Group
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- OTHER ACTIVITIES Depleted Uranium - Iraq's nuclear nightmare London CND film screening of 'Barefoot Gen'
For more information about Hiroshima visit click here -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fast and vigil against US Missile Defence
In June 2008, London CND participated in the 24 hour fast and vigil at Downing Street against US plans to cite a radar base in the Czech Republic, and the use of British bases in north yorkshire. There are strong fears that the aggressive US Missile System is creating a new nuclear arms race and exacerbating global tensions. London CND was joined by Samaira Anjum, Anil Sachdeo and Saima Parveen, members of the NUS black students committee.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Protest at RAF Lakenheath In May 2008, protestors descended on RAF Lakenheath on 18 May. The base, located 20 miles northeast of Cambridge, is a key part of the US war machine. US fighter jets have systematically bombed Iraq: in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1999 and again in 2003. Cluster bombs dropped on the Lebanon were stored at Lakenheath. It is the only base in Britain with US nuclear weapons: up to 110 free fall nuclear bombs are stored there. These bombs are flown in and out of Britain regularly. Lakenheath would be play a key role in any further US military aggression.
A coach full of activists organised by London CND took part in the demonstration. Supporters were given an information-packed tour of the base by Lakenheath Action Group, enjoyed a peace picnic with musical entertainment and listened to speakers, including Chair of CND, Kate Hudson, and Jeremy Corbyn MP. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Aldermaston 'Surround the base' On 24 March 2008, Aldermaston Atomic Weapons Establishment was surrounded by 5,000 anti-nuclear protestors, in the biggest action in over two decades. Aldermaston AWE develops, tests and builds Britain's nuclear weapons. A massive development is now taking place. On the scale of Heathrow's Terminal 5 and estimated to cost £5bn, experts believe is for testing new nuclear weapons. London CND organised 9 coaches full of protestors, who descended on the base, decorating the perimeter fence with banners and anti-nuclear messages. The event was extremely well covered by national media and sent a strong message to the government to end its nuclear hypocrisy, halt the development at Aldermaston and rethink Trident's replacement. Many thanks to everyone who participated and made the day so successsful. If you have any photos we could put on the website, or would like to share your experiences of the day, please e-mail sophiakselby@yahoo.co.uk
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12 March 2008 Public meeting with Tony Benn
Tony Benn speaking at a packed-out London CND Public Forum on 12 March on 50 years of protest � From Aldermaston to Iraq |