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26
Oct
‘Kick out Trump’s Harrogate spy base,’ say campaigners
Campaigners hit inflatable golf balls outside RAF Menwith Hill on Saturday (October 24) as part of a demonstration calling for the US spy base to be closed.
Protestors from CND, Yorkshire CND and Menwith Hill Accountability Campaign marched around the perimeter of the base to reach the main gates before striking the balls.
The balls represented the base’s distinctiveness radomes, which shield giant radars used by US military personnel to gather global intelligence.
CND said the base, near Harrogate, has the capability to intercept communications from foreign satellites and monitor wireless communications, such as mobile phones and wi-fi traffic.
Firing inflatable golf balls.
It added the site was also likely to be assisting illegal US military operations on Iran and the message was that Trump’s spy base should ne “kicked out”.
CND general secretary Sophie Bolt said:
This protest comes at an absolutely critical time. The threats of nuclear weapons being used in war has never been higher. The use of RAF Menwith Hill to help the Trump administration achieve nuclear pre-eminence is a very dangerous development, which is driving a new nuclear arms race.
This base has nothing to do with keeping us safe. By allowing the US and Israel to benefit from intelligence gathered at this spy base, the government is helping to facilitate war crimes and ethnic cleansing.
Hazel Costello, of the Menwith Hill Accountability Campaign, which organises frequent protests at the base, said:
“At this time of increasing violence and instability throughout the world, it is even more important to bring the real purpose of the Menwith Hill base to the attention of as many people as possible, to encourage them to demand accountability from those operating the base and to work to close it down.”
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