CND congratulates Action AWE and Trident Ploughshares for their successful blockade of the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) in Burghfield this morning. In solidarity, veteran peace activist Bruce Kent, 84, and CND General Secretary Kate Hudson took the Cut Trident message to Westminster.
Protesters blocked the gates of the nuclear weapons facility to demand the cancellation of plans to replace Britain’s Trident nuclear weapons system. They also called on the UK to comply with the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and join multilateral negotiations to ban all nuclear weapons.
Activists from around the world joined the blockade, including campaigners from Argentina, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, Spain and elsewhere.
CND’s Kate Hudson said: ‘In Westminster today, we stood in solidarity with all those blockading AWE Burghfield. Such actions are vital in bringing into focus the UK government’s attempts to spend over £100bn on a new generation of nuclear weapons.’
‘While the government tells us that it doesn’t have money for local services, for hospitals, schools and libraries: how can it possibly justify spending billions upon billions on a weapons system which much of the military doesn’t want?’
‘As we head towards a parliamentary vote on Trident replacement in 2016 – we must stand shoulder to shoulder with all those who oppose this heinous, immoral and irresponsible waste of our money. We must make Westminster hear loud and clear: Britain doesn’t want nuclear weapons!’