UK Protesters Plant Garden on Royal Drone Base

NOVANEWS

Yesterday, six peace activists, representing “Disarm the Drones” became the first UK activists to face charges for anti-drones related offenses.

by JGVibes
 
They were kept overnight at Lincoln police station after they planted a peace garden in RAF Waddington on Monday morning. They had been charged with Conspiracy and Intent to Trespass and Criminal Damage; the charge of Conspiracy was later dropped.
The non-violent peace activists DISARM the drones 6 managed to breach security at Britain’s drone control base in Lincolnshire. Their threat was considered so serious they were kept overnight and sent straight to court yesterday. Their homes were also raided by police and computers have been seized.
Their action was timed to coincide with the fifth anniversary of the first UK Drone strike and the International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression.
The six individuals, who took in news stories about civilians killed as a result of drone strikes were: Chris Cole (Drones Researcher), Martin Newell (Catholic Priest), Dr Keith Hebden (Anglican Priest), Susan Clarkson (Quaker Pensioner), Henrietta Cullinan (Teacher) and Penny Walker (Grandmother). They all felt moved to act after British Armed Drones (Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles) became operational from British soil on the 25th April 2013, and the MoD has since confirmed that British drones controlled from RAF Waddington have made their first kill in Afghanistan.
Serious legal questions have been raised by the UN, Britain and the US about the legality and morality of drones, especially around their use in undeclared wars. As part of their legal defense, DISARM the Drones 6 plan to invoke international law which reserves the right to break a law in order to stop a greater harm from happening. The 6 have been bailed out until a preliminary hearing on the 4th July 10am at Lincoln Magistrates Court.
CONTACT:
Penny Walker (Grandmother): 07414465695
Martin Newell (Catholic Priest): 07985728464
Susan Clarkson(Pensioner): 07974908951
Keith Hebden (Anglican Priest) 01623628067
Chris Cole (Drones Researcher): 07960811437
Henrietta Cullinan(School Teacher): 02079233956
Chris Cole, father of 3, is a leading authority on drone warfare and runs the organization Drone Wars
Susan Clarkson is a Quaker pensioner who visited Kabul earlier this year with a peace delegation, she met civilians who had lost innocent loved ones to drone strikes.
Dr Keith Hebden, father of 2, is an Anglican Priest and author ofSeeking Justice
Penny Walker is a Grandmother and works closely with the asylum community of Leicester
Father Martin Newell is a Catholic Priest who runs a night shelter for asylum seekers in London
Henrietta Cullinan is a Mother of 4 and a School Teacher
Six Concerned Citizens Enter UK Drone Nerve Center to Witness War Crimes and Plant a Garden of Peace
For more information contact Maya Evans: 07973484202
June 4, 2013— Today six concerned citizens, representing Disarm the Drones successfully entered RAF Waddington at 8am in order to “bear witness to the immoral, illegal and ill-conceived use of drones”. Their action was timed to coincide with the fifth anniversary of the first UK Drone strike and the International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression.
The six individuals, who took in news stories about civilians killed as a result of drone strikes were, Chris Cole (Drones Researcher), Martin Newell (Catholic Priest), Dr Keith Hebden (Anglican Priest), Susan Clarkson (Quaker Pensioner), Henrietta Cullinan (Teacher) and Penny Walker (Grandmother), they all felt moved to act after British Armed Drones (Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles) became operational from British soil on the 25th April 2013, and the MoD has since confirmed that British drones controlled from RAF Waddington have made their first kill in Afghanistan.
Serious legal questions have been raised by the UN, Britain and the US about the legality and morality of drones, especially around their use in undeclared wars.
Chris Cole, anti-drone campaigner, from Oxford said, “To build real peace and security in our world we need to breach the silence and secrecy that surrounds remote warfare and expose the impact of the drone wars on global peace and security as well as the lives of ordinary Afghans.”
Penny Walker, grandmother from Leicester, said, “We created a gateway and peace garden at RAF Waddington in order to make a way for other people of peace to do their civic and moral duty and disarm these drones.”
Dr Keith Hebden, Anglican Priest said, “After entering RAF Waddington we planted a Vine and Fig tree, echoing the words of the prophet Micah, ‘they shall all sit under their own vines and under their own fig trees, and no one shall make them afraid.”
Six people cut through security fences at RAF Waddington and went onto the site. While four continued to further into the site to try and find out where the drones were operating from, two stayed near the fence to plant a peace garden.