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Faslane blockade protest arrests Faslane blockade ship is seized
(about 6 hours later)
Greenpeace campaigners have been arrested after they attempted to mount a blockade at the naval base which houses the UK's nuclear deterrent. A boat used by Greenpeace campaigners to blockade the Faslane naval base has been seized after Ministry of Defence police stormed the vessel.
Activists sailed into a restricted area at the Faslane submarine base on the Clyde, home of the Trident missile fleet, at about 0800 GMT. Protesters breached the restricted area at the base, which houses the Trident nuclear deterrent, at about 0800 GMT.
The Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise breached the area on the Gareloch and 16 arrests were made. The Arctic Sunrise eventually dropped anchor near a defensive boom, blocking the entrance for several hours.
MoD police said the Arctic Sunrise is being escorted from the area. Police boarded the ship, which had more than 20 people on board, at about 1715 GMT and took control.
A flotilla of boats travelled up the Clyde and got close to the floating barrier which protects the base. Sixteen people had earlier been arrested in protests at the base on the Gareloch.
However, they were driven away by police and Royal Marines.
Greenpeace spokesman Ben Stewart said they had mounted the action because a delegation of Labour MPs had been due to tour a submarine at the base.
A rare look inside a Trident submarineIn picturesA rare look inside a Trident submarineIn pictures
The Royal Navy confirmed that MPs had been due to make a visit to Faslane but it was cancelled last week. They were on board six smaller vessels which accompanied the Arctic Sunrise when it sailed into the restricted area at about 0800 GMT.
A spokeswoman said: "Members of Greenpeace breached a security zone in the Gareloch at around 8am but we are containing the incident. The former icebreaker later came to a halt near a defensive boom guarding the nuclear submarines.
"There had been MPs due to make a visit to the base today but it was cancelled last week. It spent several hours in that position before Ministry of Defence police officers with battering rams boarded the vessel and took control.
'Exclusion zone' The Royal Navy said the Arctic Sunrise had got within 300 metres of the Trident nuclear submarines, but stressed that security had not been breached at any time.
"Sixteen people have been arrested so far but the situation is ongoing. "They didn't gain access to the naval base, they gained access to the restricted outer space," said a spokesman.
"They have entered an exclusion zone at the base." These nuclear arms submarines pose a threat to the security of the world Louise EdgeGreenpeace campaigner
He said the MoD police had taken control of the vessel at 1725 GMT and were moving it into the base.
Greenpeace said it had mounted the action because a delegation of Labour MPs had been due to tour a submarine at the base.
The Royal Navy confirmed that MPs had been due to make a visit to Faslane, but said the trip had been cancelled last week.
Prime Minister Tony Blair announced plans late last year to upgrade the Trident nuclear weapons system at a cost of more than £20bn.Prime Minister Tony Blair announced plans late last year to upgrade the Trident nuclear weapons system at a cost of more than £20bn.
The UK Parliament is due to formally decide in March on whether to give the renewal the go-ahead.The UK Parliament is due to formally decide in March on whether to give the renewal the go-ahead.
Louise Edge, Greenpeace campaigner who was on board the Arctic Sunrise, said: "We're blockading the base because these nuclear arms submarines pose a threat to the security of the world, not least by encouraging other countries to go nuclear in the future." Louise Edge, a Greenpeace campaigner who was on board the Arctic Sunrise, said: "We're blockading the base because these nuclear arms submarines pose a threat to the security of the world, not least by encouraging other countries to go nuclear in the future."