by
George Farebrother
On Saturday Reading seemed so normal and decent. An eclectic mix of
styles with some nice historic bits and proper unpredictable English
weather. Sharp driving hailstorms with sunny spring-like intervals.
People were going about their lawful business; and our business was
explicitly lawful
The response of the Thames Valley police to our mass crime reporting
echoed this normalcy. In a sense this was theatre as we and they played
out our pre-arranged roles. The procedure was flawless and there was no
hint of disruption. One after another the crime reporters presented
their evidence and each were given due attention. As Angie pointed out,
we were nice mild-mannered English people liaising with other nice
people in uniform. Some of the latter may well have sympathised with
our resistance against nuclear crime.
I entered the police station equipped with our beribboned scroll warning
the British Government of the criminality of nuclear weapons use in
general and of Trident in particular. It reminded the police that they
are in the business of crime prevention. They should warn the Prime
Minister and the Secretary of State for Defence that there are pressing
reasons for the UK Government to urgently review the legal standing of
the Trident nuclear weapons system.
The willingness even to contemplate ever using nuclear weapons makes a
mockery of all law and all morality. Even so, Angie said that we should
do our crime reporting calmly and with a straight face. This was
timely. There is often a slight sense of absurdity about these
occasions. A motley gathering of citizens doing their homespun best to
confront the awesome power of the state. The contrast can give rise to
a healthy merriment to temper our serious intent.
We can also comfort ourselves with the gloss of official tolerance in
this country. Picture German citizens invoking International
Humanitarian Law to report a Crime of Aggression to the Gestapo when
Poland was invaded. They wouldnt have got very far. The urbanity of
British officials, politicians and the police when dealing with well
brought-up resisters could persuade us that the state really has our
best interests, and those of humanity in general, at heart.
Not so. Behind its civilised mask the state is ruthless. Decent
individuals in suits can do terrible things in the role as
functionaries. Leaked Government documents show that quite recently
there was serious discussion at the highest level about the effects of a
nuclear strike on Moscow. It revolved around the utility of ground
bursts, as opposed to air bursts to inflict the greatest suffering.
There was no mention of the flagrant immorality of such an act, let
alone its lawfulness. This should have a chilling impact on our
well-nurtured complacency.
Maybe our evidence of gross criminality will have a quiet effect on
individual decision makers. We shall probably never know. We can hope
for a response which at least allows an intelligent dialogue. Meanwhile
we can think about Angies suggestion for a follow-up to our crime
reporting by laying an information before a court. Energised by
Reading, I would happily support such an initiative.
*INLAP/WORLD COURT PROJECT UK
*Secretary: George Farebrother, 67, Summerheath Rd, Hailsham, Sussex, UK
BN27 3DR
+44 (0)1323 844 269 [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>,
Website http://inlapwcp.webplus.net <http://inlapwcp.webplus.net/>
The World Court Project is working to abolish nuclear weapons through
the law
because they violate our human values.
It is a project of INLAP, the Institute for Law, Accountability and Peace
Nuclear weapons crime in the UK has been reported to Thames Valley Police.
