London and Home County CND groups to protest at US Embassy over the return of US nuclear bombs to Britain
London Region CND, Norwich CND*, and peace activists from across London and the Home Counties will rally at the US Embassy in Nine Elms, south London next Tuesday to protest against the return to Britain of US nuclear bombs.
No to US nukes in Britain!
- Tuesday, 21 March
- 5:30-7pm
- US Embassy, Nine Elms Lane, London, SW11 7US
- 6 mins from Nine Elms Underground, 10 mins from Vauxhall Rail & Underground stations
In January this year, the Federation of American Scientists revealed that B61-12 nuclear bombs have been cleared for transport to bases in Europe, including Britain. They will be sitting on London’s doorstep in US-controlled Lakenheath air base in Suffolk, just 70 miles northeast of the capital city.
Silos to house these new-generation guided nuclear bombs are already in situ. The latest fighter bomber aircraft, the F-35As that will deliver them to their targets across the world are already in Lakenheath where training began last year.
Two national demonstrations against the return were organised by CND last year, with a third scheduled for 20 May 2023. Nuclear weapons were removed from Lakenheath in 2008 after persistent protest by CND and local pressure groups.
Speakers at the protest include: CND Vice Chair Sophie Bolt; Cllr Emma Dent-Coad; Mil Rai, Peace News Editor; Stop the War Chair Shelly Asquith; Junayd Islam, Cambridge Student CND; Sue Wright, Norwich CND Chair; Jess Barnard, Labour NEC member; and Rev Nagase, London Peace Pagoda.
London Region CND Co-Chair Carol Turner said:
“We’ll be at the United States Embassy saying thanks but no thanks, Londoners don’t want your weapons of mass and indiscriminate destruction on our doorstep. At a time of heightened international tensions, US nuclear weapons puts Britain on the frontline of any nuclear exchange.”
Norwich CND Chair Sue Wright said:
“In 2008, local CND groups and activists forced the removal of US nuclear bombs from Lakenheath with persistent protest. After two demonstrations at the airbase last year, we are now voicing our opposition directly to the US Ambassador – and to tell them that any plan to bring these weapons back to East Anglia will be met with the same opposition. We also call on the UK government to openly refuse any US request to base their nuclear weapons in Britain.”
Stop the War Coalition Chair Shelly Asquith said:
“Not enough Londoners know that, very soon, nuclear weapons belonging to the US will be stationed just outside the capital. Our own government has said it is happy to house what could cause a nuclear world war, and unimaginable death and destruction. We are coming together to say we disagree: no to US nukes in Britain!”
* Norwich CND is the closest CND group to Lakenheath airbase.
Read more on our Lakenheath campaign here.