The Ministry of Defence can deny it until they're blue in the face (as they do everything else) but on October 22nd anti-nuclear activists around the world blockaded Faslane Naval Base and CLOSED IT DOWN! And while some people encircled the "police work zone" by doing the conga (police surrounded a group of demonstrators who were locked-on to form a human wall, while other officers try to remove the blockaders) another anti-nuclear pixie cut into the base from the main road and walked right through the base. He was only apprehended beside the submarines at the second sentry lodge he knocked at! Needless to say, this was on a day of heightened security, with extra sentries posted along the fences and throughout the base. Not that the sentries seemed to have been doing much…

I just LOVE overnight drives. But having said that, arriving in Helensburgh to a level of organization the MoD can only DREAM to achieve, the lack of leg room all seemed worthwhile…Thrown into the action at 6.30am as a legal observer it was great to see so many people out and making some noise. Legal observers abounding at North Gate, my next assignment was up at the oil depot gate. After an initial batch of 6 arrests (with a nice even sex ratio: 3 females, 3 males) it took quite some time before the gate was actually opened to traffic, but when it was, we made sure the vehicles going in knew why we were there. A wander back to South Gate (a long wander) where I found the last surviving lock-on (which survives still: the police just didn't want to move it, or the people in it!) and at 2pm it was decided the police were unlikely to take any action, so it was time for lunch and eventually the drive back to Glasgow. Helping welcome people back from the police stations rounded off a pretty stonking day: no rain!

But the wonderful thing about OKBLOK, as with other Trident Ploughshares demonstrations, is the great positivity, friendly and inclusive atmosphere. Even in the middle of October, with rain threatening (but holding off! Hurrah!) a thousand people turned out to let the world know they've had enough to Trident. Colorful banners were seen at each blockaded entrance and throughout the morning music and dancing abounded -and that's aside from the amazing costumes! And, of course, civil disobedience at its best: 170 people were arrested that day, most for blockading the base and generally they reported being treated fairly well. Saying some police officers were sympathetic might be pushing it, but the eternal "demonstrators are violent, aggressive and don't know what they're talking about" was well and truly disproved.

And the secret to OKBLOK’s success? Support - at every step of the way. People are encouraged to form affinity groups, so they're not just on their own at any point - there are other people looking out for them. Add on top of that the months of planning, the legal observers, the food & hot drinks throughout the day, the "congrats and welcome back to the real world!" for arrestees in the evening and the ethos of non-violence the MoD haven't got a chance of getting around us. Trident Ploughshares are gonna keep coming back for more (or rather less) until the message gets through the (rather thick) skulls of the government: No More Nukes. Now Or Ever. Just imagine what we could do with all those wonderful people and costumes in a "nukes are gone!" party….!

- Tigger MacGregor