On 10 April, eight activists from Oxford CND, Reading, Croughton and Hampshire closed Tadley gate at Aldermaston AWE (atomic weapons establishment) as part of a year-long action known as ActionAWE (‘Action Atomic Weapons Eradication to stop Trident replacement’).
The team, dressed in white suits held a 40-minute die-in in front of a large banner (in front of the gate) during the evening end of work shift.
There were no arrests. Police re-directed traffic to other gates.
ActionAWE are calling for arrestable and non-arrestable protests at Aldermaston and AWE Burghfield. They note that demonstrations on pavements around Aldermaston or Burghfield are usually permitted.
HSE prosecution
Meanwhile, the Nuclear Information Service reports that a prosecution of the company which operates Aldermaston AWE has been adjourned until 16 May.
The health and safety executive is prosecuting AWE plc for breaches of safety law following a fire at the nuclear bomb factory in August 2010.
AWE is expected to enter a plea on 16 May, and a full day has been set aside to hear the case.
The case was first scheduled to be heard in Reading magistrates’ court on 6 August 2012 but has since been adjourned a number of times.