Peace campaigners gather at Faslane to say no to nukes
Hundreds of peace campaigners gathered at the home of the UK’S nuclear deterrent for an international rally yesterday. Around 600 demonstrators holding banners and waving CND flags and Saltires walked from the peace camp at Faslane in Argyll and Bute to the gates of HMNB Clyde, where the country’s nuclear submarines are based.
Key figures from the disarmament movement were among those attending the Nae Nukes Anywhere rally, including representatives from the US, Israel, Russia and Germany. They were welcomed in an address by Scottish makar Jackie Kay, who read three poems for the occasion.
There was a large police presence outside the north gates of the base, where protesters gathered.
Flavia Tudoreanu, of Scottish CND, said: “We want people to know that Scotland does not want nuclear weapons and aligns itself with the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons Treaty which was passed last year. “We want to put the message out that Scotland opposes nuclear weapons and we would love to sign the treaty but we can’t.
“It’s been a year since the treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons was adopted.
“It’s got more than 60 countries now signing and many of them have ratified.
“Internationally speaking there’s a lot of progress being made in disarmament.”