GREENPEACE ENDS OCCUPATION OF US SPY BASE

5 July 2001

The two remaining Greenpeace activists occupying a radio mast inside the US spy base at Menwith Hills in the UK have ended their protest.

Over 100 Greenpeace volunteers invaded the base on Tuesday morning at 6am and have occupied various parts of the site for the past two days.

The early warning base would become an essential part of George Bush's Star Wars programme, along with a nearby radar facility at Fylingdales and another base in Thule in Greenland.

"The amount of support we have had for this action over the last 40 hours shows the level of global concern about the proposed Star Wars plan," said Greenpeace International disarmament campaigner William Peden. " People around the world realise that Star Wars will bring with it, not protection or defence, but a new nuclear arms race, and the clear message over the past two days to all governments is that Star Wars should be stopped," Peden added.

Activists from America, Denmark, the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Germany took part in the action. The last of the group voluntarily came down from the radio mast because their supplies were exhausted.

This is the end of this particular action, but by no means the end of Greenpeace's campaign against the Star Wars programme.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
William Peden +44 7801 212 992