Protest without arrest…

Protest activity which isn’t intended or likely to lead to arrest is often referred to as ‘Fluffy’ by protesters.

People who are angry about the billions being wasted on dangerous and useless nuclear weapons might want to dip their toe in the protest water and join Action AWE but be put off by the idea that everything is about lockons or getting arrested. It isn’t. Blocking gates is a decisive and effective way of bringing the issues of nuclear weapons to the notice of the media and others we need to help us influence the politicians before the next general election, in addition to actually preventing or slowing the manufacture of nuclear weapons, but other protest actions also have great value and importance.

Sending the clear message to MPs, that the majority don’t want nuclear weapons and ensuring MPs listen to the message and act on it is a crucial element of Action AWE.

Correspondence with your MP, backed up by physical protest is more likely to ensure his/her attention than letter writing alone.

Whatever type of demonstration or protest you decide on please work out how to interest the media and therefore what messages you want to have on your banners, placards and flyers.

Take photos of yourself and your banners/notices that indicate why and where you are protesting. Write to or email your MP details of your protest, explaining your reasons for protesting and attaching your photos. Ask your MP to explain his/her position on Nuclear Weapons, to you. Find your MPs contact details here and read a sample letter to your MP here.

Forward details of your protest to as many contacts as possible and urge them to take similar action, or to at least send letters of objection to Trident to their MPs. A website called Nuclear Weapons: Write ’em off! has been set up to assist, provide information to and support people writing letters protesting about nuclear weapons and it welcomes new members.

We’d like to publish MPs’ letters on Action AWE’s website. You can send MPs’ responses to us by emailing [email protected] or post them on this website yourself, see Your News section to find out how.

Ultimately, the only way to avoid arrest is to comply with instructions given or requests made to you by the police, but it is possible to do that and protest without being arrested.

Demonstrations using the pavements around and near AWE Aldermaston or AWE Burghfield are generally quite safe and usually permitted by civilian and MoD police. There are many entry and exit gates to Aldermaston, and only two gates at Burghfield. Objections are rarely made to a protest at any of these gates, as long as no obstruction is made to traffic using them. The best pavements at Aldermaston are around Tadley, Home Office and Main Gates. See our AWE Aldermaston and AWE Burghfield maps and pictures pages.

Some suggestions:

If you plan to be standing in or near one of the gateways around the bases bring a paste table and set it up on the pavement or grass verge. You could do without it but it is sometimes nice to have something to stand behind and display leaflets…….or put the tea and coffee cups on! The most the police will do is to ask you to move on. Actually they can be reminded that it is their duty to assist people who are peacefully protesting.

Have a large banner to attach to the front of the table and others to wave about on tall canes plus have placards to hold up. As most people will be driving by snappy messages in large print are the thing.

Dressing up – hats – animal suits, weapons inspector suits, etc. may appeal to some.

Fence demonstration – construct a complex picture with words to put onto a prominent piece of fence. Hand out leaflets to passers by.

A walk round the base or between gates attaching protest notices which you can leave behind on the fence is worthwhile.

Take some paper, card, string, marker pens etc. with you for making impromptu signs should you need to.

Lots more protest ideas on our ‘Taking Action at AWE’ page!

Visit our ‘Resources’ section - in the menu bar at the top of this page…… check out our Maps & Pictures collection which includes photos of some of the places you can protest off the road & finally, please don’t hesitate to Contact Us if you need any information about this protest, or AWE Aldermaston or Burghfield that you can’t find on this website.

UPDATE!

A middle aged man, who lives opposite Home Office Gate, has been known to demand in an aggressive manner, that protesters take down their banners go away and not come back. He does this because he does not like being disturbed by the passing cars beeping at us. If this happens remember you have the right to protest peacefully and you may wish to contact a local MOD police officer to see that no affray occurs.

Phone AWE’s main switchboard on 0118 981 4111 and ask to be put through to the MoD police.