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| Major protest at Menwith Hill after Clarion-style bike ride from Fylingdales | Major protest at Menwith Hill after Clarion-style bike ride from Fylingdales |
| (6 days later) | |
| Campaigns such as the Hillsborough relatives' and, going further back, the long struggle to end apartheid in South Africa, are a reminder of how faith and perseverance are so often commitments for the long term. | Campaigns such as the Hillsborough relatives' and, going further back, the long struggle to end apartheid in South Africa, are a reminder of how faith and perseverance are so often commitments for the long term. |
| Another example is the stubborn presence of objectors at RAF Menwith Hill, the communications centre used by the United States' National Security Agency for all manner of activities across the world. | Another example is the stubborn presence of objectors at RAF Menwith Hill, the communications centre used by the United States' National Security Agency for all manner of activities across the world. |
| The persistence of objectors has been phenomenal, with a demonstration outside the nest of spooky radomes every Tuesday since 2000 except four. It is typical of it that the campaign knows exactly how many – or few – Tuesdays have been missed plus the reason in each case. | The persistence of objectors has been phenomenal, with a demonstration outside the nest of spooky radomes every Tuesday since 2000 except four. It is typical of it that the campaign knows exactly how many – or few – Tuesdays have been missed plus the reason in each case. |
| Next Tuesday sees a particularly big gathering as part of Keep Space for Peace week, which has a particular relevance to Menwith because of the use of satellites in signalling and the control of weaponry. The focus will be on the use of drones and its theme, the Faceless Face of US Military Drones, will be illustrated by faceless face masks on many present; yet another imaginative way of keeping the issue in the news. | Next Tuesday sees a particularly big gathering as part of Keep Space for Peace week, which has a particular relevance to Menwith because of the use of satellites in signalling and the control of weaponry. The focus will be on the use of drones and its theme, the Faceless Face of US Military Drones, will be illustrated by faceless face masks on many present; yet another imaginative way of keeping the issue in the news. |
| Those gathered at Menwith will be joined by a second demonstration which invokes the spirit of the old northern Clarion cycling clubs which united the freedom of spinning across the moors and dales with freethinking politically about a free-er world. One of my favourite snatches of poetry is the dream of the Bolton millworker and Clarion member Allen Clarke who hoped to be buried: | Those gathered at Menwith will be joined by a second demonstration which invokes the spirit of the old northern Clarion cycling clubs which united the freedom of spinning across the moors and dales with freethinking politically about a free-er world. One of my favourite snatches of poetry is the dream of the Bolton millworker and Clarion member Allen Clarke who hoped to be buried: |
| Where I can see the cyclists halt And hear the yarns they spin And there I will rest and watch and bless The sweet and jolly scene 'Til the Master of Cycles bids me rise And mount my new machine. | Where I can see the cyclists halt And hear the yarns they spin And there I will rest and watch and bless The sweet and jolly scene 'Til the Master of Cycles bids me rise And mount my new machine. |
| In this spirit, Yorkshire CND has organised a 100-mile bike ride called Re-cycle the Bases from RAF Fylingdales on the North York Moors to arrive at Menwith on Tuesday after holding meetings en route. They should roll up well in time for the main demonstration between 6pm and 8pm outside the base's main gate. | In this spirit, Yorkshire CND has organised a 100-mile bike ride called Re-cycle the Bases from RAF Fylingdales on the North York Moors to arrive at Menwith on Tuesday after holding meetings en route. They should roll up well in time for the main demonstration between 6pm and 8pm outside the base's main gate. |
| Laila Packer, the joint co-ordinator of the Campaign for the Accountability of American Bases, sums up the case against drones, both for the suffering they cause and as an own-goal: | Laila Packer, the joint co-ordinator of the Campaign for the Accountability of American Bases, sums up the case against drones, both for the suffering they cause and as an own-goal: |
| Innocent civilians have been and are being killed, injured and traumatised by these deadly, immoral and illegal weapons. The human suffering has caused and is causing untold suffering and igniting hatred against the US and any other government involved. It is making the world a far more dangerous place. | Innocent civilians have been and are being killed, injured and traumatised by these deadly, immoral and illegal weapons. The human suffering has caused and is causing untold suffering and igniting hatred against the US and any other government involved. It is making the world a far more dangerous place. |
| If you would like more insight into the thinking behind the long campaign, the regular newsletter produced by CAAB is a fascinating treat. Whatever your views on Menwith Hill, you will surely find the gentle persistence of the protesters remarkable; an example is Lindis Percy's account of the day she went to Harrogate to make a quiet protest as the Olympic Torch came through, because the route was lined in part by staff from the base. | If you would like more insight into the thinking behind the long campaign, the regular newsletter produced by CAAB is a fascinating treat. Whatever your views on Menwith Hill, you will surely find the gentle persistence of the protesters remarkable; an example is Lindis Percy's account of the day she went to Harrogate to make a quiet protest as the Olympic Torch came through, because the route was lined in part by staff from the base. |
| She made her point, equipped with her upside-down Stars and Stripes with the legend Independence from America on it, holding a brief debate with an American soldier: | She made her point, equipped with her upside-down Stars and Stripes with the legend Independence from America on it, holding a brief debate with an American soldier: |
| Many of us are very concerned with what you are doing round the world and what you do at Menwith Hill. | Many of us are very concerned with what you are doing round the world and what you do at Menwith Hill. |
| "But we are bringing freedom to the world – that's what we do" | "But we are bringing freedom to the world – that's what we do" |
| Before she was roughly snatched away by four West Yorkshire police officers and held in a side road and then a stifling van. She never protests angrily at such treatment but always uses the complaints system, so the seven officers are subject to an inquiry by an inspector. Then she was released at the town police station, asked a North Yorkshire police sergeant if he could ring for a taxi to get her back to the torch route and he said he was driving into town anyway, and could he give her a lift? | Before she was roughly snatched away by four West Yorkshire police officers and held in a side road and then a stifling van. She never protests angrily at such treatment but always uses the complaints system, so the seven officers are subject to an inquiry by an inspector. Then she was released at the town police station, asked a North Yorkshire police sergeant if he could ring for a taxi to get her back to the torch route and he said he was driving into town anyway, and could he give her a lift? |
| In the same spirit, the September newsletter notes that a new USAF commander has taken over at Menwith Hill and adds: | In the same spirit, the September newsletter notes that a new USAF commander has taken over at Menwith Hill and adds: |
| We have written to him to welcome him and request a meeting. We have always done this when there is a change of US commander but have yet to receive a response. We very much hope that this one is different. | We have written to him to welcome him and request a meeting. We have always done this when there is a change of US commander but have yet to receive a response. We very much hope that this one is different. |
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