Trident Ploughshares activists remanded at Barrow

Trident Ploughshares

Press Release 24nd November 1999

The two Trident Ploughshares activists who were arrested early yesterday inside the VSEL dock at Barrow-in -Furness appeared in Barrow Magistrates Court today on a charge of conspiring to commit criminal damage and were remanded in custody to appear again on Thursday 2nd December.

Sylvia Boyes (56), a peace campaigner from Birmingham, and River (44), a university lecturer from Manchester, had intended to swim across the dock and board the nuclear weapons submarine Vengeance, which is due to be commissioned this Saturday, 27th November. They were carrying with them disarmament equipment such as hammers, glue and spray-on varnish.

Sylvia Boyes applied for and was refused bail. During today's hearing she welcomed the description of her by the Prosecutor as a "dedicated peace activist". River did not make an application for bail. Sylvia will be held in Styal Prison in Cheshire and River will go to Preston Prison.

A Trident Ploughshares spokesperson said: "This vessel and all parts of the Trident system are illegal. We will continue to act to disarm it, even if this means swimming in dirty freezing water in the middle of the night and going to prison."

Notes:

1. On 1st February this year Trident Ploughshares members Rosie James and Rachel Wenham swam to and boarded Vengeance in the dock at Barrow and damaged testing equipment on the conning tower. They will appear in Lancaster Crown Court on the 24th January, charged with criminal damage.

2. On September 22nd 1999, in Greenock Sheriff Court, Sheriff Margaret Gimblett acquitted three Trident Ploughshares activists, who had disarmed the Trident barge "Maytime", on the grounds that their action was justified since Trident presented an active threat that was illegal under international law.

Trident Ploughshares 2000.

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