500 “bombspotters” arrested during massive citizens inspection of NATO nuclear weapons

500 “bombspotters” arrested during  massive citizens inspection of NATO nuclear weapons

Brussels, 16th April 2005

500 “bombspotters” were arrested by police today after thousands gathered in Belgium to carry out a citizens nuclear weapons inspection.

A massive police presence greeted inspectors from Greenpeace and Bombspotting at  NATO-HQ, SHAPE and Kleine Brogel airbase. Greenpeace activists from the six NATO countries currently hosting the 480 nuclear weapons based in Europe: Italy, Germany, Belgium, UK, Turkey and the Netherlands joined the inspection team .

Greenpeace and Bombspotting are demanding that NATO become a nuclear free alliance.In two weeks the 184 member countries of the nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty will meet. "They have a clear choice. Either disarmament or a new arms race", said Hans Lammerant, from Bombspotting.

"We choose nuclear disarmament! And a necessary step towards nuclear disarmament is the withdrawal of US nuclear weapons from NATO countries, and an end to the role of nuclear weapons in NATO policy."

"At a time when key NATO countries are doing so much to encourage Iran to give up its nuclear aspirations, it would be hypocritical for NATO to not do the same ", said Nicky Davies, Greenpeace International.

"We are part of a growing movement of people who will continue to conduct these inspections of nuclear sites, to bear witness and draw attention to these crimes until the world is free of nuclear weapons."

In the year that marks the 60th anniversary of the dropping of the bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, European citizens are demanding disarmament.