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CAAB
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CAAB
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CAAB Report 174 |
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Wednesday 8 September 2005
USAF Croughton
near Northampton
Their Mission Statement is ‘Striving to be the premier
provider of global communications services, while fostering a
close-knit community based on quality of life, mutual respect and
camaraderie.’
Lindis Percy was violently 'arrested' when she was thrown to the
ground, handcuffed and 'detained' by US 'security' personnel
for three quarters of an hour, before being arrested by two
Northamptonshire police officers for 'aggravated trespass' (s.68
Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994). PC Katie
Pearce (1267) and PC Ruth Marshall (74) were clearly taking
instructions from the American personnal present. They
refused to remove the US applied handcuffs and instead let the
Americans call the tune.
Lindis had been openly on the base for nearly two hours without
being noticed. Just before she left she pressed a buzzer
by the US 'communications' center to identify herself and
to let them know that she was leaving by the same way as she came in.
Worringly she did not see one 'security' patrol during the time
she was walking on the base.
Before finally leaving by car, Lindis felt moved to go to the US
guard post at the Main entrance to express sympathy about the
aftermath of the recent terrifying hurrican in the US. She
quietly spoke to the 'security' personnel for about four to five
minutes about the outrage of the response and the fact that the US is
the richest and most powerful country in the world; and yet the
response was woefully inadequate and the US has had to ask the world
for aid. She then turned away towards the Main exit gate and
left.
It was at this point that as she was leaving, she was 'arrested
and detained' by the US authorities. The Northampton Police
officers told Lindis that the US personnel had told them that she
had been handcuffed because she was 'resisting arrest'. At
the highest level of the law Lindis was a civil trespasser.
Lindis was held in Northampton police station for nearly 14 hours.
She was interviewed by two Ministry of Defence Police Agency (MDPA)
officers before being bailed to return on 27 October 2005.
PLEASE NOTE:
Amendment 6 January 2006
Lindis was soon notified by the Ministry of Defence Police Agency at
USAF Croughton that she did not need to attend Northampton Police
Station and that there would be 'no further action'. She is in
the process of applying under the US Freedom of Information Act for
various documentation concerning this 'incident'.
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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
email: anniandlindis@caab.org.uk or
caab@btclick.com
Website: http://www.caab.org.uk
"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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