KNIGHTON anti-nuclear weapons campaigner Angie Zelter is adamant she will continue to disrupt activities at UK nuclear weapons bases despite being admonished by a court in Scotland.

Zelter, 66, was one of three campaigners who appeared before Dumbarton's Justice of the Peace Court last Thursday (October 12) on a charge of breaching the peace.

Giving evidence before JP Symons she said she felt the nuclear weapons convoys that carry warheads along the UK's roads themselves amounted to a "massive breach of the peace". She argued that Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights gave her the right to express her opinion, including by means of obstructing the activity that was the focus of her protest - a clear indication that she intends to continue physically barring lorries from entering UK nuclear weapons bases.

Zelter was joined in court by her co-accused Brian Quail from Glasgow and Sam Donaldson from Hull. All three were arrested close to the entrance of the RNAD Coulport base on the morning of the July 11, during the Trident Ploughshares camp at Peaton Wood on Loch Long. Following the blockade pensioners Zelter and Quail were imprisoned for 16 days on remand after refusing to accept special bail conditions barring them from approaching the nuclear weapon bases at Faslane and Coulport.

In the defence submission she made to the Scottish court, which included a copy of her 2001 book ’Trident on Trial - the case for peoples’, Zelter confirmed it was her intention to continue obstructing the nuclear weapons bases in Scotland. She stated: "On 11th July during my protest with others we had organised ourselves to ensure the health and safety of other road users.

"We let one car through as we set up in our lock-ons and then placed traffic cones and people with banners in front and behind us.

"These people were ready to talk calmly to anyone turning up. In fact no other cars came near us except for police officers and their vehicles. Five of us locked onto tubes and lay in the road.

"Please remember that this is a privately owned MoD road that is often closed without warning to the public whenever a nuclear convoy or other military activity uses the road. Last year in 2016 there were at least 11 road closures for the convoy movements. And this year there have been 3 more convoys using this road which has been closed to the public without prior warning.12 Please also remember that there is an alternative public highway that leads to the Coulport base.

"When police inspector Quinn asked us to desist and said if we did not we would be arrested I calmly explained to him why I was there, why I thought nuclear weapons are illegal and why the police should be dealing with these criminal acts. I told the police: ’I would like you to stop the breach of the peace that Trident is creating at the moment. We have been very reasonable responsible citizens trying to prevent mass destruction. You are police officers and you should be helping us obey the law. If you get rid of Trident and stop the people going into work today, even for just one day, we will release. Here in Scotland at this particular time you have an amazing chance to help the whole process of disarmament and as a police force in Scotland you have a much better chance of being able to do that than the police force does in England or in Wales where I now live so I hope you can have a discussion about it - we would really appreciate it.’

"After the cutting team cut me out off my lock-on I got up and walked calmly to the police vehicle. I did not resist arrest in any way.

"The whole protest was calm, respectful and yet was a powerful statement against the UK’s nuclear weapons system."

In a subsequent email to the Brecon & Radnor Express, Zelter confirmed it is her intention to continue to obstruct the work of the nuclear bases in Scotland.

However she insisted it was her intention to abide by the guidelines of Trident Ploughshares, the anti-nuclear campaign group of which she is a founder member, which include a commitment to non-violence.