Faslane Peace Camp
Faslane Peace Camp is a controversial permanent
peace camp sited outside
Faslane Naval base gates in
Argyll and Bute,
Scotland. It has been occupied continuously since
1982.
|
Faslane Peace Camp as seen from the road |
The site and look of the camp has varied considerably over the years, depending on the number and attitude of the residents. At one point there were two sites (one at each main gate) with distinct political attitudes (roughly characterised as
anarchist and
socialist).
|
Another view of the peace camp from the road |
Camp residents regularly breach the security of the Naval Base by getting inside the fence (sometimes reaching the submarines themselves) or by disrupting the road transportation of the
Trident missile warheads. They are also active, with
Trident Ploughshares and
CND in large public blockades of the base, attended by members of the public and a few politicians. Such annual events aim to keep the base closed for as long as possible by preventing its staff from arriving for work, and usually involve large numbers of protestors being arrested.
The presence of Faslane is also an issue in Scottish politics. The
Scottish National Party, the
Scottish Socialist Party and the
Scottish Green Party all oppose the deployment of nuclear weapons, although the
Scottish National Party have made assurances that they would retain the base for the servicing of conventionally-armed and powered naval units. It is not unusual for members of these parties, and indeed some from the
Labour Party, to attend rallies outside Faslane. The issue of
Trident is however a
reserved matter dealt with at
Westminster.
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Campaign for the Accountability of American Bases*
Camp Casey, Crawford, Texas*
Faslane peace camp website*
Camp website at archive.org
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Faslan Peace CampNews Coverage
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BBC news - Peace caravan becomes museum piece (Faslane)*
coverage of their last action*
Kayak action at Faslane*
Protesters Stop Nuclear Weapons Convoy*
Anti-War Activists Arrested at Faslane Naval Base*
3 Peace camp activists have penetrated the fences of Faslane*
ACTIVISTS BREAK INTO TOP UK NUKE BASE*
Annual "Big Blockade" sit-down outside the base*
Coverage of the 2003 Blockade
