The Military Lands Act Bylaws at Greenham Common had been revoked on 26th February 1988.
In the summer I went to the San Francisco to visit a friend from Greenham who had been deported with Jane, for a month. After about a week we headed down to Mexico for a couple of weeks. Then up to visit friends of Jane's in Washington State. Highlights were Trosky's House in Mexico City, Oaxaca and the Pacific Coast and Mount St Helen's in Washington State.
Sunday 25th September 1988
The convoy carried out a week last Thursday night and returned this Wed/Thurs. There were lots of us both times. Six of us went down and glooped and blockaded support at the Swan on the out, then I went down with Jean and co standing with banners at Peg’s, then zipping down the A343 to Amesbury and onto Durrington Sports Ground. I felt really terrible by then as I got thrown against the front of a Humvee and badly bruised. On the ‘in’ 8 of us went out with Jean to gloop in, near Evelyn’s turn off, then caught the support at the Swan around 4.15 am.
Monday 17th October 1988
At the weekend (Sat night) me Jane and Dido went into the base – then thought we’d been spotted near the siloes so ran up to the gate and asked them to let us in. In fact they’d seen another group of women – who we eventually caught up with – from Orange Gate. Just as we got to Woad gate a MoD van drew up with Kay and Jane H in it!
Before I left, me, Lisa and Cath went in (to the base) on bicycles. I had such fun! We split up and cycled all around the place, being chased by the police in vans. It was just so hilarious!!!’
30th October 1988
Last weekend things went very well and about twice as many women came as I’d expected. The MOD won their appeal against the illegality of the byelaws the Friday before – so the party is over – back to serious stuff. An action is planned which should shake the powers that be out of their complacency.
12th April 1989
They stopped charging women inside the base about a month ago, so everyone has been going in as much as possible. I have about seven times. Once we climbed a tree – me and Kay stayed there one and a half hours, once on bicycles again. Last time I went in with Marmalade and Dido they had a face of a woman made of cardboard on the end of a stick and poked it round the side of the sentry box at Blue until the MOD saw it, then ran into the compound and hid behind the block. It was so funny!
24th April 1989
Went to Belgium and the Netherlands last week. To Brussels for a demonstration outside NATO HQ. Me and Jane were going to hitch but were too tired so caught the bus overnight and arrived 7am in Brussels. … … The next morning the first group set out with a Belgian woman – Kari, who had arrived and got off the bus, and held up banners and set up a peace camp briefly. Di was wearing very smart clothes, so lurked near the gate talking to the guard. They were arrested after about 5-10 mins. Ilse was being a photographer – she looked really smart but her umbrella was really broken!
We walked up and held up a banner in front of the sentry box. Immediately a police person ran up and grabbed it. We all held hands and sat down in the road and blockaded all the traffic. Were then dragged to one side, then put in the sentry box, then put in the van and taken to the police station. We were kept 9.13 am to 8 pm first in a little fairly okay police station, then in the central police station. When we were taken the centre – I just walked off and it took them a while to realise and come and get me!
The police there were total bastards. I shall say no more! One ripped my shoe in half when I didn’t immediately obey his commands! Also at the end he was about to release me, then lost his temper, locked me up again and let me go last! Nasty man.
I ought to mention the Buddhists. There were ten Buddhist nuns and monks arrested shortly after us. They chanted the whole time – non-stop. They almost drove us crazy, gave us splitting headaches – made normal conversation impossible – but apart from that were very nice!!! Never ever do an action where you think there’s a possibility that there might be Buddhists involved!
The next day me, Jane, Emma and Ron hitched to Amsterdam. Me and Jane stayed with Marja. We’d heard in B that there was going to be an international blockade of Shell. Marja was having a demonstration there that morning with some women.
….we had a really good and funny case in Devizes. Everyone got £40 fine + £10 costs – not bad. It was especially good as everyone’s evidence was really different. Jane was funny and Dido was hysterical. I did my serious feminist anarchist bit….
Undated
Sarah Hip accidentally spoke to me twice. The second time was when I spoke to her and she started to answer, then trailed off. She and Jean Hutch. Got 4 months suspended sentences, at that case., heavy or what! Jane got conditional discharges and a total of £100 costs and comp and has to go back on 25th April.
Oh the bylaws have been found illegal (again) – before we left you could just go onto the base with no arrests or anything and just be turfed out again. It’s excellent. Hopefully we’ll all get Royal Pardons and compensation for wrongful imprisonment! I doubt it though!
