CAAB report 101
Tuesday 22 July 2003 -
NSA Menwith Hill
We were once again present for the weekly CAAB
witness and protest outside the Main entrance to Menwith Hill.
The week before, Harrogate Magistrates had
imposed new bail conditions on Lindis Percy ('not to go within 15
meters of the boundary to Menwith Hill'). She had been arrested for
alleged 'obstruction of the highway' and breach of bail conditions and
detained overnight at Harrogate Police Station.She appeared in court the
next morning where the Magistrates found the breach of bail conditions 'not
proved'.
When imposing these new bail conditions, the
Magistrates were careful to say that it would still be possible
for Lindis to exercise her Human Right to peacefully protest. They added
it was up to Lindis to find out the extent of the bail conditions by
measuring the distance (in doing so Lindis would however be in breach
of the bail conditions!).
Anni, Mel and Laura carefully measured the distance
helped by a Ministry of Defence Police Agency officer. Mel
then drove Lindis to the Main entrance to join the demonstration,
having established where the bail conditions were.
Lindis stood with the US flag (upside
down) with the words 'Independence FROM America' for about 10
minutes before a MDPA patrol vehicle suddenly appeared. Two MDPA
officers got out and went straight up to Lindis saying that she was in
breach of her bail conditions and therefore she was under arrest. When
Lindis asked exactly how and when she was meant to have breached the
conditions, the officer said 'when you got out of the car'. Lindis
tried hard to get the officers to measure the distance but they refused.
PC Bridge also would not allow Lindis to complete her reply to caution after
arrest. She was then roughly pushed and shoved towards the
awaiting police vehicle.
Lindis was taken to Harrogate Police Station
(with the US flag) where Sergeant Matthew Walker declined to authorise
Lindis's detention as he was not convince that there had been any breach of
bail conditions.
In the meantime half way through the
demonstration Anni had been 'warned' by Sergeant Harding (MDPA) that if
she 'continued to trespass and deliberately obstruct vehicles' she
would be arrested. Anni continued to demonstrate in her usual
peaceful and lawful manner until the end of the demonstration and no
action was taken.
Lindis is to make an application for a
variation of bail conditions at Harrogate Magistrates' Court on Monday so
that she can demonstrate without fear of any further spurious arrests by
the MDPA. This is the third time that Lindis has been arrested (detained
twice overnight) in 6 weeks . None of the allegations have been
proved.
North Yorkshire police who have been present for
many months and had a generally calm and professional influence have
now been withdrawn.
Anni Rainbow and Lindis Percy
Joint Co-ordinators
CAMPAIGN FOR THE ACCOUNTABILITY OF AMERICAN BASES (CAAB)
8 Park Row, Otley, West Yorkshire, LS21 1HQ, England, U.K.
Tel/fax no: +44 (0)1943 466405 0R +44 (0)1482 702033
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful,
committed citizens can change the world: indeed it's the only
thing that ever does." Margaret
Mead
