The Greenpeace vessel ARCTIC SUNRISE is now surrounded by police boats
after 18 people were arrested after breaching security in inflatable boats
at the Faslane naval base in the Gareloch.
The environmentalists ship plus six other boats left Greenock on the Clyde
to sail to the base to protest at plans for a new generation of British
nuclear weapons.
Greenpeace say their flotilla was organised to prevent HMS VIGILANT, one
of the submarines based on the Clyde, from leaving the base. They say
there was 'mayhem' in the Gareloch as their boats tried to close to a
pontoon that protects the submarine and that one of their protestors
managed to climb onto the pontoon with a banner saying "NO NUCLEAR
WEAPONS" before
being arrested.
Eyewitnesses report that ARCTIC SUNRISE had
been driven up the extreme head of the Gareloch and was surrounded by
numerous vessels from the Clyde base.
Below, courtesy of Greenpeace and YouTube, are dramatic scenes from
today's activities as protestors breech restricted areas at the base.
