On 4 June, six Christian peace activists were held overnight after breaking into the British drones base, RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire, and planting a peace garden.
The ‘Disarm the Drone Six’, who posted information about British drone warfare around the base, were marking the fifth anniversary of the first UK drone strike, and the International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression.
Susan Clarkson, Chris Cole, Henrietta Cullinan, Martin Newell, Dr Keith Hebden and Penny Walker were held incommunicado and initially told they were to be charged with conspiracy to commit criminal damage and aggravated trespass. The conspiracy charge would have required a crown court jury trial; eventually they were charged only with criminal damage.
Several of the detainee’s homes were raided and computers, mobile phones, diaries, and documents were seized by police.
Chris Cole was held for another 24 hours on an outstanding warrant for an anti-arms trade action.
Topics: Drones & autonomous weapons