UPPER HEYFORD
PLOWSHARES: Early on March 21, 1990, the
first day of spring, British peace activists Stephen Hancock and Mike
Hutchinson carried out the first British plowshares action. They entered the
Upper Heyford U.S. Air Base and hammered on the outside of an F-111 fighter
plane and then climbed into the cockpit where they also hammered on the nuclear
weapons control panel. They left inside the plane a piece of the Berlin Wall
and a statement that the INF treaty was a fraud because it eliminated no
nuclear weapons. The F-111's, made by General Dynamics, are nuclear capable supersonic
strike fighter planes which were used in the bombing raids against Libya in
1986. Their low level navigation and weapons delivery capability allows bombing
at night and in adverse weather. Both activists wore "Mickey Mouse"
ears, as they explained, "to have a friendly silhouette" for
Americans guarding the base and its material. They also wore sheets that said:
"Mickey Mouse Fan Club - Peace Section." They pinned on the side of
the F-111 a banner that reiterated the message of their action and the
statement "Isaiah was Here!" The two were arrested and held by the
Ministry of Defense police and charged with "suspicion of criminal
damage" amounting to 200,000 pounds. They were released on bail after
serving 7 days in jail. On September 4, 1990 a jury found Mike and Steve guilty
of damaging the aircraft and possessing mallets and fluid with intent to damage
property. They were sentenced to 15 months imprisonment. They were released on
parole on March 7th and were on probation through June 1991.