Court Hearing Hiroshima Day | ||
Military of Defence Police gardening our garden gate after the planting August 5, 2005 
| Vine & Fig Tree Planter remanded to prison Hiroshima day August 6, 2005 On Saturday 6th August, Reading magistrates remanded Vine & Fig Tree Planter Les Gibbon, from Southampton, to Bristol Prison for five days. Les and his eight international co-defendants are next due in court before Newbury Magistrates on Wednesday 10th August on charges of criminal damage to the perimeter fence at the Atomic Weapons Establishment, Aldermaston, UK. In the early hours of Friday 5th August, Les and eight other peace gardeners from Europe and Australia planted vines and fig trees inside and outside AWE Aldermaston, transforming it into a garden of peace and justice. Calling themselves the Aldermaston Vine & Fig Tree Planters, after the prophecy of the Old Testament prophet Micah, the group arrived at dawn, cut a garden gate in the perimeter fence and entered carrying spades, trowels, watering cans and five vines and five fig trees, which they proceeded to plant. Arriving Ministry of Defence police were offered a choice of grapes, fig rolls, grape juice or wine. Some of the police chose the grapes and then arrested all nine. After a day’s questioning in nearby police cells, all nine were charged that “without lawful excuse, [they] damaged a section of the outer perimeter fence… to the value of £500 belonging to The Ministry of Defence”. One gardener was released, whilst the other eight, who all gave their address as “Aldermaston,” were remanded in custody overnight. After an appearance before Reading Magistrates on Saturday 6th August – Hiroshima Day – seven of the eight were released on bail. On Thursday 4th August, the gardeners had planted a vine and a fig tree outside the main gate of AWE Aldermaston and informed the authorities of their intention to return and continue the peaceful conversion of the base. The nine arrestees are: Sr Susan Clarkson (England), Per Herngren (Sweden), Mike Hutchinson (England), Barbara Smedema (Netherlands), Treena Lenthall (Australia), Martin Smedjeback (Sweden), Les Gibbon (England), Lizzie Jones (England), Stephen Hancock (England). The two non-arrested peace planters are Orla Cunningham (Ireland) and Thomas Helgeson (Sweden). In a joint statement given to police on both the 4th and 5th of August, the eleven say: “On the eve of the 60th anniversary of the bombings of the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, we come to the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston, UK, to plant vines and fig trees. ‘They shall beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. Instead, everyone shall sit underneath their vine and fig tree and none shall make them afraid.’ (Micah 4:3) Disarmament, economic conversion and nonviolence are vital ingredients for creating a just world in which everyone enjoys the earth's abundance. In these fearful, suspicious times, we invite people all around the world to transform military bases into gardens of peace in which beauty and life shall flourish.” Les Gibbon’s prison address is: 19 Cambridge Road, Bristol BS7 8PS. Supporters will gather outside Newbury Magistrates Court at 9.30am on Wednesday 10th August. Contact: Stephen Hancock on 01865 775532 Email: vineandfigtree@hotmail.co.uk Photographs available: www.figs-and-vines.poijoy.urevised.com
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Editor: Treena Lenthall, Web slave: Per Herngren
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