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Liz in prison
Trial as a gig
Martin's testimony
From trial to art - photos
From trial to festival - photos
Photos from police evidence
Invitation for trial festival
Court Hearing August 10
Court Hearing Hiroshima Day
Four weeks prison, suspended six month, and £201 in restitution, for the Vine & Fig Tree Planters. Home garden
Up
Contacts
Hiroshima planting 2007
Easter planting at Ericsson 2006
Ulla Røder on proactive resistance
Swedish
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..............................reflections
Statement for Aldermaston
To Go Beyond Protest-Resistance
Vine & Fig Tree Disarmory
Les' reflection from prison
Beyond Protest
Proactive Resistance
Martin's reflection on planting
Manual for civil disobedience
Theory of Resistance
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..............................photos
Photos Hiroshima 2007 planting
Liz's art exhibition
Photos from police evidence
Arrest photos Aldermaston 2005
Photos of Aldermaston planting 2005
Figs at Aldermaston photos
Queer trans-forms community
Planting at Ericsson
Bofors Easter 2006
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..............................more resistance
Vine & Fig Tree in the Netherlands
Vine and Fig Tree song
| Turning to Post-Protest: Vine & Fig Planters take their 'turns' at Newbury Magistrates Court
The court gig
Les Gibbons
Inspired by the ancient prophecy of the prophet/poet Micah, about 'turning swords into ploughshares' and 'everyone sitting underneath their vine and fig trees in peace and unafraid', ...the planters took vines and fig trees to Aldermaston, so beginning the conversion of the base for such a time as this (how else will we ever get to sit under the trees and chill if we don’t get them planted like now, for later?')
One tree had already been planted as a memorial to Anthony Walker (http://www.anthonywalker.org.uk/) 'inside' the base the previous day, he was very much on my mind when we went there in August, I'd rather that he remained alive.
Our actions had arrested the attention of the local Ministry of De Fence Police (who minister to The Fence). The beginning of the transformation of Aldermaston from a dangerous Research and Development Facility for Britain's nuclear weapons into "something useful for life" had begun.
As the planters worked on the beginnings of their 'groundforce - type' transformation (the plantings) the Ministry of De Fence police flocked to the private view, only to be greeted with grape juice and figs etc instead of banners. Soon the attention of the police was pleasantly arrested and then planters were kindly offered police station accommodation (and those yummy veggie breakfasts) for up to 36 hours whilst they were booked to appear again at Newbury Magistrates court on 7-9th February 2006.
7-9th February Gig
The court gig was packed out, and indeed wonderfully organised by and at the convenience of the both Crown Prosecution Service and Ministry of de Fence Police (MOD), it drew much support, and admission was free throughout.
As planters we determined to explain why we had started to initiate the change many of us long idealistically to see. We started to do it ourselves, rather than relying or trusting trade unions to pass motions, or MP's to ask questions or a government to halt a process it had already decided upon. We aimed to initiate ourselves what we wanted to see occur, and also risk and accept the consequences ourselves.
At the court the prosecution and police focussed on the fence (that appears to be their job) and the planters focussed on the plants and plantings and why a nuclear research plant was not required in a world of increasing violence and terrorising. One police officer was genuinely praised for the quality of her photography, I asked her 'are you aware that your photographs are highly esteemed?' She had taken photographs we planters wished we could have taken ourselves, thus perhaps unintentionally diverting much attention from the fence alterations to the vision of transformation. We would encourage further collaboration of this nature, the photography highlighted that Aldermaston needs transforming from a research factory of nuclear weapons to a peace garden. Her pictures (Lindsay's) had been distributed to all planters as evidence - and remain works of true art, which can be viewed on the internet and were exhibited in a recent support gig at Southampton, they are both compassionate and beautiful; and very much appreciated.
In court planters took turns to explain their reasons for making a gateway, and why it was necessary to start the transformation of the place when there was increasing concern about the extensions to Aldermaston AWE building of a lazer facility to test mini nukes raised "no objection" by local councillors on what ought to be a national matter, (*see below).
Whilst the arrestees were taking turns on that stage they also welcomed the opportunity to answer questions about transformation planting, its necessity as well as inviting the MOD & CPS to join in future plantings. The court venue was itself transformed by people knitting, giving non verbal signs of support and drawing and leaving tastefully pictures about the courtroom during the gig, and some were later presented to both the CPS and the Police and other attendants in appreciation of their organisation and in planning for the event, for 'their convenience'.
The prosecutor wanted us to pay a fine consisting of compensation for our conviction of planting as regards the altered fence with no charges for being in court. All planters (who maintained we actually enhanced the fence to a gateway) turned down the special offer on the day, for ethical, moral and artistic type reasons. The magistrate who had been patient with us, our eloquence, poignancies, silences, laughs and weaknesses delivered, after her appraisal of our event her thumbs up: "a four week prison sentence, suspended for six months, and retribution for the fence of £201 each", and we in turn handed over thank you cards.
So, further planting is to be expected within the six months period next in Sweden in April** which takes us to Nagasaki day 9th August 2006 - perhaps the police will join in, well some of them, or maybe a solicitor or magistrate somewhere, or maybe you yourself are intrigued about how to get in on doing a bit of transformation yourself. Believe you can enhance dangerous places, that we can make a difference ourselves when we accept back the responsibility for our own and societies' recovery. So whether you have an 'inside' or 'outside' locus of control, it is possible to 'adapt up' to that belief and respond with nonviolent calm interventions. Create your own minority nonviolent theorem if necessary that enables you to act to subvert (without dynamite) the dominant damaging intentions of our time.
SHaLoM and figs to all,
Planter Les
*Please note that concern about the work of AWE on a new lazer facility has been highlighted by consistent hard slog by the women from the Aldermaston Women's Peace Camp, Nuclear Information Service and those from the 'Block the Builder Campaign', goodness be piled upon you all.
**Do you want to participate? Do you have questions? Call + 46 31 330 67 11 (Annika Spalde) or e-mail to paskvandring@yahoo.se
| "One way I have thought about the planting was that it was like alternative container gardening."
Les Gibbons |
