Greenpeace say their bridge was boarded by force
The drama at the Faslane base on the Clyde continued today following a
tense stand off between the Greenpeace vessel ARCTIC SUNRISE and the
military in the waters of the Gareloch.
The ship, followed by a flotilla of inflatable boats had entered a
restricted area of the Clyde base. Arrests were made after one protestor
managed to clamber onto a pontoon and raise a banner protesting at plans
for a new generation of nuclear weapons.
During the afternoon ARCTIC SUNRISE dropped anchor and refused to budge.
She was surrounded by military craft and tugs from the base. She was
requested to leave the Gareloch but the protestors refused, saying they
could stay there for weeks if need be and they would have to be moved by
force.
Greenpeace say twenty military police boarded their vessel and 'smashed
their way' onto the bridge. So far eighteen arrests have been made.
A podcast from the ship described how the vessel was 'swamped' by military
police and others, and that the tugs from the base were 'buffeting' the
side of the ship. The crew had locked themselves on the bridge.
Military police then broke into the bridge and began a search of the
vessel, entering cabins.
The Greenpeace spokesman claimed they had succeeded in their objectives by
shutting down the base for the day and preventing any submarines from
leaving.
Latest eye-witness (18:40) reports say that ARCTIC SUNRISE looks as
thought it is being escorted or towed into the base by the admiralty tugs.
(Above photo of tug IMPETUS by Colin Grant)
|
