Monday March 8, 2010 has been set as the opening day for the Wellington District Court jury trial of the Waihopai Domebusters – Sam Land, Adrian Leason and Peter Murnane, the Ploughshares activists who deflated one of the domes at the Waihopai spybase in April 2008.
The trial has been set down for a week (and may last several days longer).
Anti-Bases Campaign urges all our members and supporters, and everyone who believes that the Waihopai spybase should be closed, to come to Wellington to show active solidarity with the Domebusters. It was a Ploughshares action, not an ABC one and we were as surprised by it as the rest of the country, but it was an action that we fully endorse, the perfect example of non-violent direct action.
At this stage we haven’t worked out the details of what we are going to do in Wellington, but we want to get the word out now, and we will release details as they come to hand. Activities will, hopefully, include:
Being spectators at the actual trial, being there in court to support the three of them
Holding a picket outside the Wellington District Court for at least part of the trial
Holding a protest action at the nearby HQ of the NZ Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB), the top secret agency which runs Waihopai
Holding a public meeting in central Wellington one night of the trial to discuss Waihopai and related issues
These are just some of the ideas that we already have. There are others – we would like to have our excellent Waihopai spybase display in Wellington during the trial, if a venue can be arranged. And there are other worthy targets for pickets, such as the US Embassy.
We need help from Wellingtonians. ABC is a Christchurch group and it is difficult to organise a range of activities like this from long distance. There are a number of things that can best be done by locals. So, if you’re a Wellingtonian who can give us a hand, please reply to this e-mail.
And we urge people from all around the country to join us in Wellington from Monday March 8 to show active solidarity with the Domebusters. What these brave guys did had not only national, but international, significance. This trial could, quite literally, be a once in a lifetime event.
You will have to arrange and finance your own travel and accommodation. Bring appropriate placards and banners. The trial is, of course, on weekdays and during work hours. And it’s worth noting that court hearings can be subject to delays at short notice. But we are proceeding on the basis that the trial has been set to start on Monday March 8.
SEE YOU IN WELLINGTON MARCH 8
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