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Last Updated:  Wednesday, 2 April, 2003, 09:59 GMT 10:59 UK
Police move 'petty' say protesters
Protest at RAF Fairford
The Gloucestershire airbase has seen a number of large protests
Peace protesters outside RAF Fairford have accused police of being petty for not allowing them to bring in extra protection against the weather.

During Tuesday's rain, protesters who tried to take an extra tarpaulin into the peace camp on the base's outskirts, were stopped by police.

Officers allegedly told the protesters the cover would contravene the Terrorism Act, because it could be used to hide other items.

Protester Tony Hillier said: "It's baffling. They've got eyes and they could see there was nothing in the tarpaulin.

"It was straightforward but they said you cannot take that tarpaulin in - they looked at it, saw it was tarpaulin, but still said it mustn't go in.

"It has just gone from the banal to the ridiculous really."

'Road closures'

A spokesman for Gloucestershire Police said: "There are a number of road closures for public safety reasons around the base.

"The peace camp is within one of these areas and while police are allowing visitors to the camp, the road closures mean we cannot permit people to take items through which would allow them to stay permanently."

The airbase, on the Gloucestershire-Wiltshire border, is home to 14 B-52 bombers which have been carrying out raids on Iraq since the start of the conflict.

There have been a number of protests at the base since the action began.




SEE ALSO:
Force appeals for demo costs
23 Mar 03  |  England


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