Report from last Wednesday's MOD protest

Seven Catholic Workers, a Quaker, a doctor and a priest were detained and searched following the marking of the M.O.D. Buiding in Whitehall in an anti-nuclear weapons action on Ash Wenesday

140 others gathered at an Ash Wednesday event organised by Pax Christi, London Catholic Worker in repentance and resistance to British nuclear weapons. The group proceeded to M.O.D. building on White Hall as activists broke off to mark the building that controls British Nuclear wepaons

During a procession and liturgy those taking part heard how the UK Government's commitment to nuclear deterrence is an on-going challenge. The UK alone has 225 nuclear weapons and the Royal Navy boasts a proud record of over 40 years of uninterrupted nuclear deterrence, as at least one of the four Vanguard-class submarines is on patrol at any time. They that the government might have a change of heart and direction.

A Catholic Worker stated,

British troops on the ground have recently withdrawn from an illegal invasion of Iraq based on the fiction of that country's possession of WMD. The British government and parliamentary opposition expect us to swallow the same lies in a lead up to a war on Iran. Yet the M.O.D. and British government continue to manufacture and deploy nuclear weapons.Ash Wednesday reminds us of the ash that nuclear weapons promises to reduce the world to. Lent is a season of repentance "turning around" from our silence and complicity with these high crimes. The appropriate response continues to be nonviolent resistance to these high crimes and solidarity with our brothers in chains and before the courts for such resistance.We act in solidarity with Jesuit priests Bill Bischell and Steve Kelly and also Susan Crane and many others presently impisoned in the U.S. for resistance to nuclear weapons We are inspired by the resilience of Bradley Manning and the price he continues to pay for speaking truth to power, accused of exposing the war crimes of empire.

This is the 30th. year the M.O.D. has been confronted by christian peace activists on Ash Wednesday. More coverage, including pics, here.

Solidarity vigil for Bradley Manning planned for this Thursday

5pm - 6pm: Stand in solidarity with Bradley Manning in London as he is arraigned for Court Martial in the US. The Vigil will take place at the hour the arraignment is starting at Fort Meade, Maryland.

Meet in front of the US Embassy in Grosvenor Square. Nearest tube: Bond Street. (more details).

If you can't make feel free to text the vigil while it is on - 079 392 90576 - sign off name and town eg. "Ciaron, London" and we'll read out ya solidarity text at the vigil.

You can read a statement from the US Lawyers Guild for the charges to be dismissed here.

Harringay protest against Guantanamo

On January 11th on the 10th. anniversary of the opening of Guantanamo, folks from Veterans for Peace, No Borders, Harringey Solidarity Group and Giuseppe Conlon Catholic Worker House gathered in our neighborhood of Harringey, London to the demand the immediate closure of Guantanamo and other U.S. gulags. More pics here.

Our gathering included three former prisoners and a British veteran of the wars on Iraq and Afghanistan. We made a specific call for the release of Londoner Shaker Aamer.

Shaker Aamer was cleared for release by the US military in 2007. He claims to have been tortured repeatedly during his time in US custody, on one occasion in the presence of a British intelligence agent. He has a British wife and four children living in Battersea, south London. He has never met his youngest son, who is almost 10 years old. Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown sought his release in August 2007, along with four other residents held at Guantanamo Bay, the last of whom was released in February 2009. His lawyer, Clive Stafford-Smith, has recently expressed grave concerns for his physical and mental health due to prolonged arbitrary detention. More info here