Peace activist stopped and searched for

by: CAAB/PN

Anni Rainbow and Lindis Percy from CAAB, outside US base during "Independence from America" 4 July event.
PHOTO: CAAB , caab@btclick.com

Lincolnshire: Over the past month both Peace News and the Aldermaston Women's Peace Campaign websites have had a number of visits from the US military. Notably visits from US/RAF Fairford and US/RAF Croughton. The PN site has specifically been searched for information about Lindis Percy.

The following text about the recent stop an search comes direct from the Campaign for the Accountability of American bases, of which Lindis is a founding member.

Lindis Percy was stopped by Lincoln police on the A15 when she was returning home after researching RAF Digby and the USEUCOM Joint Analysis Center at Molesworth the day before. There was an airshow at RAF Waddington on Saturday and Sunday which she had to pass on her way home.

She was waiting in a queue of traffic when she was directed on to a side road by the local police and told they had just received instructions to stop her if she happened to come along.

Lindis was searched and so was her car. The police confiscated several items including tools (always kept in her car because it has been sabotaged so many times when parked outside US bases). She was not arrested at this stage. The reason the police eventually gave for stopping her was that she "might protest". When she asked why they had not taken all the tools in the car they did not reply.

Lindis was warned not to go to the airshow on either Saturday or Sunday and that if she did she would be arrested for "breach of the peace". She said several times that she had been on her way home to Hull and had had no intention of going to the airshow.

The police told Lindis that she was to be escorted out of Lincoln by two police motor cyclists. They then set off. Just outside Lincoln she had to stop at some traffic lights and one of the police outriders sped off. He got off his motor bike a little way ahead and directed Lindis into a police station car park where she was told she was under arrest for "suspicion of criminal damage".

Lindis was taken to Lincoln police station and held for 13 hours. The car was later searched again and items removed, including the US flag with STOP STAR WARS written on it, a CAAB reflective jacket, several copies of the latest CAAB newsletter (although she had already given several out to the police) and a copy of the Guardian newspaper. When she asked the police what the Guardian had to do with "alleged criminal damage" she was told "it might have articles in it"!

Lindis was eventually charged with:

"On 29 June 2002 at Waddington had in your custody or under your control articles namely two pairs of wire cutters, a hacksaw, a rope ladder and a can of black spray paint intending without lawful excuse to use the same or to cause of permit another to use the same to destroy or damage property belonging to the Royal Air Force - contrary to section 3 (a) and 4 of the Criminal Damage Act 1971".

Bail conditions were imposed 'not to go within 200 meters of any RAF base' (they had wanted to remand Lindis in custody).

Lindis pointed out to the custody officer that she would be immediately in breach of bail when she was going home as she passed RAF Scampton. In the end the bail conditons read "not to go within one meter of the perimeter fence of any RAF base".

Apparently Special Branch were involved and it was quite clear (the duty solicitor agreed) that "higher authority" was behind this.

The search record re the search of the car says:

Object [of search]: Prohibited articles, items can [?be] used in terrorism
Grounds [of search]: Terrorism, known protester against Americans.

Lindis absolutely denies the charge. The plea date at Lincoln Magistrates' Court has been scheduled for Friday 5 July 2002.

Contact
CAMPAIGN FOR THE ACCOUNTABILITY OF AMERICAN BASES (CAAB),8 Park Row, Otley, West Yorkshire, LS21 1HQ, Britain (tel/fax +44 (0)1943 466405 0R +44 (0)1482 702033; email anniandlindis@caab.org.uk or caab@btclick.com; http://www.caab.org.uk).

Related articles
Peace News.
The Guardian

Source: CAAB