Armed Us troops stormed the
peace camp at RAF Fairford and ripped protesters' banners off the
fence.
Dressed in boiler suits and armed with serrated combat knives, the
men stripped the 10ft steel fence at Gate 10. By 2pm yesterday
they were putting up a barbed wire fence to keep the demonstrators
at bay.
Gloucestershire police intervened after airforce personnel and 12
protesters began to wrestle with the peace banners.
The campaigners were given 40 minutes to move their camp after
local police negotiated between them and airbase staff.
They have now moved several metres away from Gate 10, on Top Road.
Protesters worked through the night to rebuild their camp as B52
bombers tested their engines on the runway.
Sarj, a healthcare worker and a student, said: "The American
airforce personnel were very aggressive.
"One soldier hacked at my banner with a combat knife as I was
trying to tug it away from the fence.
"They told us that if we were in their country then we would
be thrown in jail for what we were doing.
"If the local police hadn't been there the situation could
have escalated into something much worse.
"This is just another case of Americans trying to push people
about and have their own way and we're not standing for it.
"We are here protesting by rights and in a peaceful manner.
We've camped here in temperatures below freezing so something like
this isn't going to stop us now."
Protesters have been camping at Fairford since February 17.
Their numbers swelled in the run up to a peace rally on February
23, and more have been arriving each day.
The camp moved to gate 10 when B-52 bombers arrived last week.
Rolls of razor wire were laid inside the perimeter fence to keep
them out last Friday.
Ministry of Defence spokesman, Sqn Ldr John Morris, said the
special Herras fencing was an extension of security around gate
10.
"The fencing has been put up to help people identify where
Ministry of Defence property begins and ends," he said.
"The reason why it has been put up now is that it was a low
priority project and this was the last area to be fenced off.
"As far as I know peace protesters were not treated badly and
their banners were taken down as they were on MoD property and it
was our entitlement.
"The fence has now been moved up to the boundary of MoD
property separating it from the highway."
Nuala Young, from Oxford, said: "The security here has been
shown up recently with people getting on the runway so this is
just too little too late.
"We need to be here to make sure these bombers don't fly off
to Iraq without the backing of the UN.
"We are the eyes and ears for the people of this country and
are letting them know what is going on with these planes."
Military personnel have also added a heavier and higher security
gate to the main entrance. A crane lifted it into place on Friday.
The step-up in security came after two women breached the
perimeter fence and got on to the base's 100,000ft runway.
A 61-year-old grandmother from Hull was arrested for aggravated
trespass after she breached the perimeter fence and allegedly sat
beneath a B-52 bomber for two hours last Monday.
A second female protester was arrested last Tuesday after she
climbed on to the fence holding a purple banner reading "no
war".
Evesham protester Kate Holcombe has been charged with criminal
damage amounting to £8,000 after the main gate was pulled down
during the peace demonstration on February 23.
Yesterday, a further nine protesters were arrested and charged
with aggravated trespass after an alleged break-in at the base.
The group were accused of cutting through the fencing.
Gloucestershire protester Dave Cockcroft said: "Last night,
we had a few drinks and are in high spirits. We're all hanging in
there and refuse to be intimidated."
He added: "At the moment activity is very quiet on the base.
They're moving some of the bombers around but other than that it
seems very quiet."
Peace protesters at RAF Fairford were warned on March 6 they could
be taking their lives in their hands if they break into the US
airbase.
Police said trespassers will be putting themselves in danger
because of aircraft manoeuvres.
A total of 14 B-52 bombers are stationed on the base and there
have also been sightings of 63-ft U2 spy planes and C-17
Globemaster cargo planes.
