A report, and pics from the October demo against the proposals to cut up old nuclear submarine reactors in Devonport Dockyard.   TP Tamarians took part in this important demo, and to the absolute astonishment of the Police, did not get arrested! 

http://talkingliberties.wordpress.com/2009/11/09/stop-the-nuclear-dump-plymouth-october-2009/

Members of the Tamarians were out this weekend to remember the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the United States in August 1945.

These murderous crimes must not be allowed to happen again.

It is pretty much an open secret that the MOD and Babcock are keen for the extremely hazardous task of chopping up the nuclear reactors from redundant submarines to be undertaken at Devonport Dockyard in Plymouth.   We in the Tamarians do not think this dirty, dangerous, and experimental work should be done next to a major population centre, next to the homes of some 250,000 people.   What, we ask, does this offer the people of Plymouth other than the risk of radiological poisoning?   It is easy to imagine the effect on house prices, or the tourist industry, if the word Plymouth becomes synonomous with Sellafield.   Can a handful of jobs compensate for that?

It was with this in mind that a few of us decided at very short notice to make explicit our concerns at the dockyard’s Albert Gate this week.    More needs to be done, and by more of us.

The BBC reports that there was a “steam explosion” which caused an “almighty bang” at the Devonport Dockyard in Plymouth this week. 

“The incident, at the Devonport yard in Plymouth, occurred at about 1000 GMT, when a rubber hose supplying steam to the Morice Yard area ruptured.

Small pieces of metal and rubber were scattered up to 30m (99ft) away. No-one was hurt, but witnesses said that it caused an “almighty bang.” 

Babcock Marine are said to be undertaking a full investigation.   The explanation is crystal clear, and is mentioned almost as an aside in the Beeb article, cowboy workmanship, no doubt under instruction from a management only interested in profit and not safety -

“The rubber hose had been installed as a temporary repair whilst a new permanent section of pipe was being manufactured to carry steam, the dockyard said.”

And these are the people entrusted to run a nuclear submarine complex in the heart of a city containing 250,000 people?

Some clips of the Trident Ploughshares action at Aldermaston on the 28th of October.  This first video shows Police trying to cut activists out of a concrete lock-on at Home Office Gate -

This next video shows a number of male Police officers using enough force to inflict pain on female activists sitting in the road.  And this after they were apparently briefed to go softly!

This last clip is of the band Seize the Day, playing at Tadley Gate -

Can anyone who watches this defend the possession of these dreadful weapons?

The Tamarians joined in with others at Easter to cause chaos and disruption to the activities at the Atomic Weapons Establishment, Aldermaston.  One of our number was subsequently arrested and charged with “Obstruction of the Highway”.   A report on the action itself can be read  HERE

Events in court were written about HERE