HMS VANGUARD DISARMAMENT ACTION

At midnight, April 26-27, 2001, Ulla Roder, mother and member of the Trident Three disarmament action, swam undetected for five hours past police launches, over a floating barrier and into the high security berth where Tridents are docked at the Faslane Submarine Base in Scotland. She made her way to where two Tridents were berthed, the HMS Victorious and the HMS Vanguard. Carrying a chisel and hammer she placed the chisel between two tiles on the sub which are used to help it remain undetected from enemy craft. As she lifted her hammer from the water a very nervous soldier, removing the safety catch and pointing his machine gun directly at her, ordered her to "get away from the submarine." When she informed him that she was peace protester, he still persisted in his order. As another nearby guard sounded a security alarm, she preceded to comply with the soldiers order and moved a meter back form the sub. When the soldier seemed more calm, she drifted near the Trident and spray painted "USELESS" on the side of the submarine. From the water she shouted that the soldier should not be proud of his job preparing for mass murder. Ministry of Defense police arrived and she was placed under arrest. She was charged with malicious damage, breach of by­laws, and being inside a prohibited area without authorization. She was released from police custody after four hours and is awaiting a court date. Although activists have on a number of occasion swum close to the Trident submarines, this is the first time that one has been reached in Faslane, a feat the MOD police claimed was impossible.