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CAAB Report 121

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Tuesday 25 May 2004
 
Anni Rainbow was arrested at the weekly CAAB demonstration at NSA Menwith Hill for an alleged 'obstruction of the highway'.  Anni was sitting in the wheelchair at the side of the entrance to Menwith Hill with the majority of the wheelchair over the 'yellow line' - therefore not on the highway. 
 
Lindis Percy was arrested soon after Annis' arrest also for an alleged 'obstruction of the highway'.  Lindis was quietly walking across the entrance to the base.  She was over the 'yellow line' and therefore  was not on the highway either.
 
Anni and Lindis were taken separately to Harrogate Police Station.  Anni went in a special taxi after Lindis was taken in a Ministry of Defence Police Agency van.  There was a difficulty between North Yorkshire Police (NYP)  and the Ministry of Defence Police Agency (MDPA) as to which force should pay the taxi driver.  We believe that North Yorkshire Police paid after the MDPA insisted that this was a 'custody' matter and therefore the responsibility of NYP.
 
At Harrogate Police Station both Lindis and Anni insisted that Sergeant Downham (Custody Officer) looked at the video recording that was taken during the demonstration as neither Lindis nor Anni were on the highway.  This should be done before any decision to release, bail or charge was made.
 
Anni and Lindis were in detention for over five hours and eventually charged separately with 'obstruction of the highway'.  Sergeant Downham said that he had seen some of the video and 'had seen enough' to charge.  The CPS had not been consulted.
 
COMMENTS
 
A yellow line was painted across the entrance to Menwith Hill about three years ago.  It is a practice that is done in America at US bases.  It is not a practice that is done here. 
 
In 1995 Lindis took a case to the High Court to challenge a similar line (a red line on a map of Menwith Hill but not painted on the ground, which was meant to deliniate where the boundary was for the life time injunction imposed on her).  She lost the case as the two Judges who gave their ruling said 'it is the stuff of neighbour hood disputes Ms Percy' and therefore not tenable to paint credible and legal boundaries on the ground.
 
Since then CAAB has challenged the yellow line twice in the courts.  Each time the District Judge (DJ) has ruled the yellow line to be lawful.  On the last occasion at Harrogate Magistrates' Court a 'lea way' of 3 feet was expressed by the Defence Estates Surveyor.  The DJ said he would agree 18 inches of that to be on the base side of the yellow line.
 
It was very clear that once again these spurious arrest were orchestrated by the American authorities.  A senior MDPA officer who was  present at the demonstration on this night,  appeared to carry out their instructions.   It is unusal for such a senior MDPA to be present however.  Steve Barlow (Chief Inspector) was there as well as  an Inspector and numerous other ranks of the MDPA - clearly in consultation with the American authority present.
 
Anni and Lindis are bailed to appear at Harrogate Magistrates' Court for the 'plea date' on Thursday 3 June 2004.  Lindis is already bailed to appear on that day to hear if the CPS are to go ahead with an alleged breach of s.69 'aggravated trespass' (Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994).  She was arrested for this at the CAAB demonstration the week before.
We do need more people to come on Tuesday nights 6-8 pm at the main entrance to Menwith Hill 
 
Over the years we have continually struggled to uphold the right to peaceful protest - going backwards and forwards to the courts so that this Human Right is maintained.  These latest arrests appear to be another attempt to stop Anni and Lindis from peacefully protesting. 
 
We are not however suppressed in spirit and will continue to demonstrate every week. 
 
The CAAB weekly protest is specifically directed to the people who work on this base and the dangerous and illegal roles that they and the base plays.
 
WE ASK THAT ANYONE WHO READS THIS KINDLY CONSIDERS OUR REQUEST TO JOIN US AT THE WEEKLY DEMONSTRATION.
 
These peaceful demonstrations have happened every Tuesday evening for over four years now.
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

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