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Terror cargo lands in France

Greenpeace ship arrives in France ahead of U.S. weapons plutonium transport

27 September 2004

The Greenpeace ship MV Esperanza has arrived at the French port of Cherbourg, where it will await the arrival of a weapons-grade plutonium shipment from the United States (1). The Esperanza will support the Atlantic Nuclear Free Flotilla yachts, which are planning to demonstrate against the deadly nuclear shipment.

Greenpeace and members of the Flotilla protest outside the Arsenal of Cherbourg where Eugene Riguidel, one of France's most famous sailors and a member of the Atlantic Nuclear Free Flotilla with John Castle of Guernsey, a long time activist and Greenpeace mariner, and Pernilla Svenberg from Greenpeace International are being held overnight. Enlarge Image

Round the world winner arrested in Cherbourg military dock during US nuclear shipment protest

03 October 2004

Eugene Riguidel, one of France's most famous sailors and a member of the Atlantic Nuclear Free Flotilla, has been arrested for sailing his boat into the military zone of Cherbourg harbour today. Riguidel was detained while he was peacefully protesting the imminent arrival of 140 kilograms of weapons-grade plutonium to France.

Eugene Riguidel, one of France's most famous sailors and a member of the Atlantic Nuclear Free Flotilla, is released after a 24 hour detention in the Arsenal of Cherbourg. Enlarge Image

Nuclear industry attempt to ban Greenpeace protest against plutonium shipment

04 October 2004

Greenpeace has been summoned to appear in the Cherbourg Court tomorrow, where it will face a request by Areva, through its subsidiary Cogema, and British Nuclear Fuels Ltd (BNFL), for an injunction preventing it from approaching within 300m of the two ships carrying plutonium from the US to France or within 100m of the Cherbourg harbour.

One of two lightly armed UK-flagged commercial nuclear cargo ship, the Pacific Pintail, arrives in the French military port of Cherbourg. Enlarge Image

US plutonium shipment arrives in France, increasing global nuclear weapons proliferation risk

06 October 2004

Despite growing public and political concern about nuclear proliferation, one of two lightly armed UK-flagged commercial nuclear cargo ship - Pacific Pintail - arrived in Cherbourg today. French nuclear company Areva have stated to the press that it has on board the U.S. weapons-grade plutonium, and will within hours be escorted by the French army to the reprocessing complex at la Hague 18km from Cherbourg.

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Nuclear Tour de France:
For more information on the truck's journey click here
The final stage of the US transport of weapons-grade plutonium started at 2:15 am today (7th October), with the departure of a heavily armed convoy from the reprocessing nuclear complex at la Hague bound for the Cadarache nuclear facility north of Marseille. All bridges between Cherbourg, Caen and Rennes were guarded by Military police. Although this US weapons grade plutonium transport to France is unprecedented, every ten days a convoy of plutonium is transported 1000km from la Hague to a MOX plant in Marcoule, north of Avignon. In total, more than 10 tons of plutonium is transported through France each year. The transport will go through Rennes and then Bordeaux on it's way to Cadarache - Click here to see a map Latest action footage
Flotilla action in Cherbourg: Real Player (1Mb) Real player (4Mb) Windows Media (5mMb) Plutonium transports: Real Media (3MB) Windows Media (5MB) Check out constant updates at www.stop-plutonium.org