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Trident protest politicians held Trident protest politicians held
(about 1 hour later)
Eight people, including two Scottish Socialist MSPs, have been arrested during an anti-nuclear protest. Several politicians have been arrested during a cross-party protest against the renewal of Trident.
Two Plaid Cymru politicians were also arrested after three people chained themselves together at the main gate of the Faslane base on the Clyde. About 30 politicians had gathered to continue a series of demonstrations outside the Faslane base on the Clyde.
SSP MSPs Rosie Kane and Carolyn Leckie, and Plaid Cymru's Jill Evans MEP and Leanne Wood AM were protesting against the renewal of Trident. Three Scottish Socialist MSPs, two Plaid Cymru members and a Dutch MP were detained after attempting to chain themselves together at the base's gate.
Politicians were staging the latest in a number of protests held recently.
Protest group Faslane 365 said renewing Trident at a cost of £20bn would be anti-democratic, illegal and unethical.Protest group Faslane 365 said renewing Trident at a cost of £20bn would be anti-democratic, illegal and unethical.
Police had been monitoring the protest from early in the morning, which was attended by various elected representatives including SNP deputy leader Nicola Sturgeon and SSP national convener Colin Fox.
Officers moved in about 1100 GMT after a small number of politicians lay down outside the entrance to the naval base.
This is a day for the elected representatives to come here and make their thoughts known Nicola Sturgeon MSPSNP
SSP MSPs Rosie Kane, Carolyn Leckie and Frances Curran were escorted from the base, claiming they had been arrested.
As she was led away, Rosie Kane MSP denied that protesters were wasting police time.
"It's important to take a stand here," she said.
"We are not the ones wasting police time here, it is the nuclear weapons on the Clyde that are wasting everyone's time and everyone's money."
Police then spent about 30 minutes trying to remove Plaid Cymru Welsh Assembly member Leanne Wood, Green MEP Caroline Lucas and Dutch socialists MP Krista Van Velzen, before taking them away in a police van.
Plaid Cymru's Jill Evans MEP was also understood to have been arrested.
TRIDENT MISSILE SYSTEM Missile length: 44ft (13m)Weight: 130,000lb (58,500kg)Diameter: 74 inches (1.9m)Range: More than 4,600 miles (7,400km)Power plant: Three stage solid propellant rocketCost: £16.8m ($29.1m) per missile Source: Federation of American Scientists How Trident works
Ms Evans said: "We have taken part in the blockade today to reflect the views of the majority of people in Wales who oppose and have protested against Trident."
Earlier SNP Holyrood leader Nicola Sturgeon had reiterated her party's stance against the renewal of Trident.
"This is a day for the elected representatives to come here and make their thoughts known," she said
"I think the majority of people in Scotland are opposed to the billions of pounds that are going to be spent on these nuclear weapons.
"People oppose it on economic grounds as well as political and moral grounds."
However, Labour MSP Jackie Baillie told BBC Radio Scotland she thought the protests were directed at the wrong place.However, Labour MSP Jackie Baillie told BBC Radio Scotland she thought the protests were directed at the wrong place.
"It is in fact Westminster that make the decision," she said."It is in fact Westminster that make the decision," she said.
Whilst Tony Blair is intent on obtaining even more of these weapons most people consider them obscene Colin FoxSSP convener
"While I'm thankful we live in a democracy, and people have the right to protest, I do wish they would focus on those who are making the decision - those in the House of Commons.""While I'm thankful we live in a democracy, and people have the right to protest, I do wish they would focus on those who are making the decision - those in the House of Commons."
The elected representatives taking part in the protest include members of the Westminster, Scottish, Welsh, Dutch and European parliaments, as well as local councillors.
They were taking part in a series of short speeches before attempting to block the gateway to the naval base.
A spokesperson for Faslane 365 said: "The UK Government has no intention of fulfilling its obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty and of abiding with international law by decommissioning Trident.
"Monday's blockade will make it clear that there are elected representatives who participate in resistance to Trident and that there are parties whose commitment to the removal of nuclear weapons is unwavering and unqualified. This is a great encouragement."
TRIDENT MISSILE SYSTEM Missile length: 44ft (13m)Weight: 130,000lb (58,500kg)Diameter: 74 inches (1.9m)Range: More than 4,600 miles (7,400km)Power plant: Three stage solid propellant rocketCost: £16.8m ($29.1m) per missile Source: Federation of American Scientists How Trident works
Meanwhile, Green MSP Chris Ballance said he is to propose a Holyrood 2007 manifesto pledge which would ban the use of Scotland's roads and inshore waters to move weapons of mass destruction.
"If we can use Scottish law to block the movement of chickens because of bird flu and the risk to public health, then we can do the same for a weapon capable of killing hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians and contaminating vast areas of the globe with deadly radioactive material," he said.
SNP Holyrood leader Nicola Sturgeon said: "I cannot understand the hypocrisy of a prime minister who takes us into an illegal war in Iraq over weapons of mass destruction that don't exist, while he's happy to make room in Scotland for the most lethal bombs possible.
"The opposition to a replacement for Trident is overwhelming - a recent poll discovered that 61% of people in Scotland thought the Scottish Parliament should have the ability to remove Trident missiles from the Clyde."
SSP convener Colin Fox said: "Whilst Tony Blair is intent on obtaining even more of these weapons most people consider them obscene.
"It is clear Labour just cannot be trusted on Trident. It is plainly a pro-nuclear party now."
On Sunday, the Roman Catholic Church urged its members to write to MPs to communicate their opposition to the renewal of Trident.