On Saturday 11 May, protesters will descend on the main gate of RAF Lakenheath. They are calling for the British government to refuse delivery of US nuclear bombs planned to be deployed at the base.
As more and more evidence emerges that the US plans to put Britain on the nuclear front line, protesters are calling for the base and surrounding area to be a designated nuclear-free zone.
At 12 noon, protesters, dressed in hazard suits will be reading out a declaration at the base’s main entrance and covering the perimeter fence in ‘NUCLEAR FREE’ signs. Others will be wearing Joe Biden and Rishi Sunak masks brandishing a fake B61-12 nuclear bomb.
The Lakenheath protest is part of a nationwide day of action called by CND against US plans to site deadly B61-12 nuclear bombs in Britain. These new bombs have been designed specifically to fit F35a fighter jets already stationed at RAF Lakenheath. With tensions still dangerously high between NATO and Russia, this puts Britain on the front line of a nuclear war.
Activists will return to the base later this summer for an international peace camp organised by the Lakenheath Alliance for Peace coalition, taking place from 13-24 July.
Chair of Norwich CND Sue Wright said:
“I live in Norwich, about fifty miles from the base, but have daily reminders of the dangers with the F-35 war planes polluting our skies. These planes are designed to deliver US nuclear bombs, so we are a sitting target in a nuclear conflict. Any strike directed towards Lakenheath would inevitably cause catastrophic damage not only to East Anglia but to the UK and the world. I want the government to refuse to accept these bombs. So that’s why I’m protesting.”
Green Councillor Gary Champion said:
“If nuclear weapons are once again brought to Lakenheath, Suffolk becomes a target in a nuclear conflict. Not allowing anyone living in the area – let alone across the country – to have a say on this fundamental issue, goes against the grain of public opinion. This year, with a general election imminent, it is particularly important to ensure these issues are not kept secret, without transparency or accountability.”
Cambridge student Junayd Islam said:
“At a time of ongoing climate crisis, granting the US license to bring their nuclear arsenal to British soil is madness. The US arms complex is one of the biggest polluters in the world, and we in East Anglia want nothing to do with them.”
Women from Aldermaston Women’s Peace Camp said:
“I live in Norwich, about fifty miles from the base, but have daily reminders of the dangers with the F-35 war planes polluting our skies. These planes are designed to deliver US nuclear bombs, so we are a sitting target in a nuclear conflict. Any strike directed towards Lakenheath would inevitably cause catastrophic damage not only to East Anglia but to the UK and the world. I want the government to refuse to accept these bombs. So that’s why I’m protesting.”
CND Chair Tom Unterrainer said:
“CND stands with the people of East Anglia in their opposition to this dangerous and destabilising development. Persistent local and national campaigning got US nuclear weapons removed from Lakenheath before. The British government’s acquiescence to US nuclear deployments to Britain, without any opposition, transparency, or oversight, is completely shameful. We call on the people of East Anglia and the wider British public, to oppose the deployment of nuclear weapons to this country.”
