AN INTERNATIONAL peace campaigner yesterday expressed his fear that police and council chiefs were set to deny thousands of people the right to protest at one of Britain’s most important military bases just two days before the start of the summit next month.

Trident Ploughshares spokesman Joss Garman, based in London, said protest groups were becoming increasingly concerned about increased police powers and erosion of civil liberties which they fear could prevent people from exercising their “right to protest” at Faslane naval base on the Clyde on July 4.

Thousands of peace activists from around the world are planning to “non-violently” disrupt the Trident submarine base just two days before the Gleneagles summit starts.

The protesters want to “close” the base and to highlight the way in which, they say, the G8 uses militarism to defend and extend globalisation that allows the exploitation of the poor and destruction of the environment.

The demonstration organised by Trident Ploughshares, CND and Scottish CND, activists plan to use their bodies, as well as equipment such as piping and chains, to blockade all of the gates to the base.

Others are expected to try to swim into the top security base.

Mr Garman, who is spokesman for the Faslane G8 team, told The Courier, “In terms of ‘the right to protest’, we are all very concerned about increased police powers and the erosion of civil liberties. However, in the case of the action at Faslane, we believe that since the working of the base is illegal due to the ‘illegal’ nature of nuclear weapons, by closing it down we are in fact upholding international law.”

He added, “It is difficult to tell at this stage whether or not the police will make hundreds of arrests by trying to remove everyone from the gateways of Faslane—as they have done in the past—on the day of action, or whether they won’t due to the overwhelming numbers expected this time around. Police have published estimates of 10,000 activists descending on Faslane to take peaceful direct action to physically shut the base, but it remains to be seen how they react.”

Student Mr Garman (19) is due to go on trial in London at the end of the month for his alleged involvement in a previous anti-nuclear protest. In April last year he allegedly joined four others in a break-in at the command and control centre for Britain’s nuclear weapons programme at Northwood in London.

The day of action at Faslane is supported by a wide range of groups including the public sector workers’ union Unison, the Stop the War campaign, the Campaign Against Arms Trade, G8 Alternatives and Voices In The Wilderness.

Strathclyde Police have already indicated that the sheer weight of protesters expected during the Faslane protest may necessitate the closure of roads surrounding the base on July 4.