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25 Sep 2004
Protesters from all over the country went to RAF Fylingdales on Saturday 25 September to protest against the base being used as part of the US Son of Star Wars missile defence system.
Singer Thom Yorke, the frontman of rock group Radiohead, joined the protesters and helped CND organisers attract an impressive crowd of 250 demonstrators. He questioned the Government asking “How dare you Mr Blair, assume the right to sign us up to Star Wars without consulting us, just assuming that it is the right thing to do, to dominate space and go against every treaty. I don't understand what's democratic about that.”
The rally marked the start of International Keep Space for Peace week and was one of 100 protests held all over the world. Demonstrators got the closest they have ever been to the RAF base because of the discovery of a previously unused bridleway and managed to walk within about 300 yards of it.
A message from protesters in Alaska was read out as the crowd gathered at the fence surrounding the early warning base after marching one and a half miles from Ellerbeck Bridge.
Police officers from North and West Yorkshire showed a strong presence with 120 officers escorting the marchers and Ministry of Defence officers using quad bikes to patrol the ground surrounding the base.
Talks were given from local activist Jackie Fearnley, who lives in nearby Goathland, Thom Yorke, CND national chairman Kate Hudson and Dave Knight of Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space. They are against Fylingdales being used as the official Star Wars base in the UK.
Neil Kingsnorth, of Yorkshire CND, said: “It's been a brilliant atmosphere, pleasant and peaceful yet lively at the same time. A lot of people came because of Thom Yorke and it's wonderful that someone like him will take on such a complex issue. He told everyone how it was for them to attend these protests and to keep plugging away as he cannot understand what right America has to be policeman of the world.”
Source: Whitby Gazette
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