Nuclear Resister's Spring 2022 E-bulletin
Posted: 11th May 2022
—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-
* Nonviolent resistance for a peaceful and nuclear-free future—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-
Spring 2022—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-
* IN THIS E-BULLETIN—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-
NINE NUCLEAR RESISTERS CITED AT BANGOR NUCLEAR SUB BASE MOTHER’S DAY ACTION
BLOCKING CONSTRUCTION OF PRATT & WHITNEY PLANT
SHANNON PROTESTERS FINED 10,000 EUROS
ARRESTS AT NEVADA NUCLEAR TEST SITE
GOOD FRIDAY WITNESS AT LOCKHEED MARTIN
FIVE ACTIVISTS LOCK DOWN ON RAYTHEON ROOF
JUDGE DROPS CHARGES FOR NY DRONE BASE ACTION
NUCLEAR RESISTERS ON TRIAL IN KANSAS CITY COURTROOMS
KINGS BAY PLOWSHARES LEGAL UPDATES
PLEASE SUPPORT IMPRISONED ANTI-NUCLEAR AND ANTI-WAR ACTIVISTS – THE NUCLEAR RESISTER NEEDS YOU!—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-
* Nine nuclear resisters cited at Bangor nuclear sub base Mother’s Day action—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-
Nine nuclear resisters were cited on May 7 in a Mother’s Day blockade of the main highway entrance into the Bangor Trident nuclear submarine base. They held a large banner across the highway that read, “The Earth is our Mother – Treat Her With Respect”. They were removed from the road after about ten minutes by Washington State Patrol, given a citation for being a pedestrian on a roadway, and released on site. Mother’s Day in the United States was first suggested in 1872 by Julia Ward Howe as a day dedicated to peace.
Read more here (https://nukeresister.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5e793916f1979bfc73458af19&id=5fee8504a0&e=3a35ade283) .—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-
* Blocking construction of Pratt & Whitney plant—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-
During a parade on Earth Day, April 22, eight activists with the Reject Raytheon coalition blockaded construction of a Pratt & Whitney plant under construction in Asheville, North Carolina. They held banners in the road that said, “Make Wind Turbines, Not War Machines” and “Pratt & Whitney Fans the Flames of Climate Emergency.” Two of the protesters stood in front and behind the blockade with the stop-sign shaped message: “No War Industry.” Because there was uncertainty about jurisdiction, they were able to stop business-as-usual for two hours. They were then given citations for trespass, and released on site.
Read more here (https://nukeresister.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5e793916f1979bfc73458af19&id=4a914dfbd2&e=3a35ade283) .—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-
* Shannon protesters fined 10,000 euros—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-
On May 3 in a Dublin, Ireland courtroom, a jury found Americans Ken Mayers (85) and Tarak Kauff (80) guilty of interfering with the operation, management and safety of an airport, and not guilty of the charges of criminal damage and trespass with intent to commit an offense. Kauff said after hearing the verdict, “The only thing we are guilty of is not doing more in the cause of peace.”
The next morning, Judge Patricia Ryan sentenced the Shannon Two to a fine of 10,000 euros. They were given a deadline that afternoon to pay the fine, which was raised thanks to the generous solidarity of Irish supporters. The two members of Veterans for Peace had gone onto the airfield at Shannon Airport on St. Patrick’s Day 2019 to inspect any aircraft associated with the U.S. military that were at the airport, in violation of Irish neutrality and international law. The men spent 13 days in Limerick Prison following the action. Over 35 other peace activists have also been prosecuted for carrying out nonviolent peace actions at Shannon Airport in order to expose and try to prevent Irish complicity in war crimes.
Read more here (https://nukeresister.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5e793916f1979bfc73458af19&id=46cde015e1&e=3a35ade283) .—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-
* Arrests at Nevada nuclear test site—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-
On April 14, Ray Cage and Catherine Hourcade entered the gates of the Nevada National Security Site (nuclear test site) and were briefly detained by Nye County Sheriff’s deputies and National Nuclear Security Administration police. Their action occurred at the conclusion of the Nevada Desert Experience’s annual Sacred Peace Walk.
In 2018, consequences for line-crossing actions changed after three decades of sheriffs detaining protesters (thousands over the years) and releasing them with citations that were never filed. Cage had his ID taken and was released with a warning. Hourcade was initially cited to appear in court to answer to charges of trespass, a citation that was soon voided as an error.
Read more here (https://nukeresister.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5e793916f1979bfc73458af19&id=5643d19697&e=3a35ade283) .—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-
* Good Friday witness at Lockheed Martin—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-
On April 15, the Brandywine Peace Community held their annual Good Friday Stations of Justice, Peace and Nonviolent Resistance at the Lockheed Martin facility in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. Three people entered Lockheed Martin property in an attempt to deliver a copy of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons to officials in the main building. They were stopped by Lockheed Martin security and Upper Merion police, and handed a copy of the Treaty to the head of security. The activists received a citation for trespass and were released on site.
Read more here (https://nukeresister.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5e793916f1979bfc73458af19&id=05279b25b4&e=3a35ade283) .—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-
* Five activists lock down on Raytheon roof—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-
On March 21, five activists with Resist and Abolish the Military Industrial Complex (RAM INC) were arrested after locking down on the roof of Raytheon’s Cambridge, Massachusetts facility. As part of the multi-tiered protest, other protesters blocked the parking garage, while another group entered Raytheon offices.
The group that scaled the roof used several smoke flares to draw attention to their protest, while chanting and dropping flyers down to workers as they arrived. They unfurled several banners, reading “End All Wars, End All Empires”, and “Raytheon profits from death in Yemen, Palestine & Ukraine”. The five protesters were on the roof for five hours before police extracted them from reinforced PVC pipe and u-locks and arrested them. They were released that night, charged with eight criminal counts each including two felonies. At a court hearing the following morning, all the charges were dismissed. Raytheon made no comment to the press.
Raytheon’s CEO Greg Hayes sparked controversy in January when he declared to shareholders that “I fully expect we’re going to see benefit” and “opportunities for international sales” from the prospect of a Russian invasion of Ukraine, and rising military tensions around the world.
Read more here (https://nukeresister.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5e793916f1979bfc73458af19&id=95c2412694&e=3a35ade283 ) .—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-
* Judge drops charges for NY drone base action—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-
In DeWitt, New York night court on April 28, Judge David Gideon dismissed charges against drone resisters Mark Scibilia-Carver and Tom Joyce “in the interests of justice” for their 2019 blockade of Hancock drone base. Longtime Hancock drone protester Ed Kinane said, “After his ruling, Judge Gideon talked about how his views have changed regarding our civil resistance campaign at Hancock. Given the increasing perilousness of the world these days, he acknowledged that he had learned from Upstate Drone Action’s decade-long series of DeWitt court trials.” More than 150 protesters have been arrested at the base over the years.
Read more here (https://nukeresister.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5e793916f1979bfc73458af19&id=c914f978a9&e=3a35ade283) .—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-
* Nuclear resisters on trial in Kansas City courtrooms—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-
The trial for four of the five line-crossers from the Memorial Day 2021 demonstration at the Honeywell nuclear weapons plant in Kansas City, Missouri took place on February 18 in Judge Ardie A. Bland’s courtroom. Given five minutes each to state their cases to the court, all of the defendants expressed the deep feeling of a religious duty that compelled them to participate in this action. Judge Bland then spoke about his personal hero, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and encouraged the defendants to continue to fight for what they believe is right. He gave them a 180-day suspended sentence, with no jail time to be served.
Henry Stoever was tried on February 23. At the initial arraignment, the prosecutor had insisted that his case be separated from the other four defendants because he’s a retired lawyer. Judge Katherine Emke listened to Stoever’s testimony. After finding him guilty, she did not take the prosecutor’s sentencing recommendation (for Stoever to receive the same sentence issued by Judge Bland to his four co-defendants). She instead sentenced him to two years probation, 180 days jail time with suspended execution of sentence plus an order to not enter the Honeywell property during that time frame.
Stoever wrote in his trial brief, “We are addicted to war and, with nuclear weapons, we are on the verge of omnicide. It is necessary to do an intervention. Our tool is the courage of nonviolence.”
Read more here (https://nukeresister.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5e793916f1979bfc73458af19&id=e6e33d50e8&e=3a35ade283) and here (https://nukeresister.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5e793916f1979bfc73458af19&id=3b949dbc55&e=3a35ade283) .—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-
* Kings Bay Plowshares legal update—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-
The seven Kings Bay Plowshares completed their prison sentences last year, and six remain on three years probation. Some members of the plowshares group have filed a Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) appeal with the Supreme Court. Additionally, Mark Colville and Patrick O’Neill have separate 11th Circuit appeals that also address RFRA arguments. Colville’s case is slated for oral argument in Atlanta on May 19. The Catholic activists entered the Trident nuclear submarine base in Georgia four years ago, in April 2018.
Read more here (https://nukeresister.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5e793916f1979bfc73458af19&id=de8229a590&e=3a35ade283) .—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-
* Please support imprisoned anti-nuclear and anti-war activists – The Nuclear Resister needs YOU!—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-
The Nuclear Resister is a bare bones operation that depends on grassroots support to chronicle anti-nuclear and anti-war resistance, and support the women and men in prison for their acts of conscience. We need your help to continue this work – please read more here (https://nukeresister.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5e793916f1979bfc73458af19&id=2fce4bd3de&e=3a35ade283) !! Or go directly here (https://nukeresister.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5e793916f1979bfc73458af19&id=98c24a0ae7&e=3a35ade283) to make a secure online donation and find information about how to send a check. Each and every donation, large or small, will be gratefully received – thank you!
============================================================
** www.nukeresister.org (https://nukeresister.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5e793916f1979bfc73458af19&id=52a3d7d383&e=3a35ade283)