Faslane 365 is a one year continuous peaceful blockade of the Trident base at Faslane from 1st October 2006, ending with a Big Blockade on 1st October 2007.
So where to start? At the very beginning...a very good place to start. Or the end? Having just sung "So long Farewell" as we processed out of the final Faslane 365 circle, the Sound of Music is still ringing in my ears.
3.30pm: 100 or so people, encircled by the police, in the space in front of North gate, had been given permission to have a closing ceremony. We were invited to join hands and take a minute to look at each other and acknowledge our presence, diversity and strength.
I was facing the base and usually find that pretty daunting. Not today. The sight of the police in their own circle and the variety of people and the expressions on their faces had me riveted. It was the pride. Time and again I saw pride in people eyes. Pride at having played a part in this amazing year. One woman had placed a picture of the Buddhist monk from Burma in the centre. A fitting focus, and reminder that however frustrating the police tactics all year, we are, for now, still free to protest. No water cannons, no guns. Hang on to that right! Then a great shout went up! Our determination to keep up the resistance until Trident is gone.
Brian said that though we were calling this a closing ceremony we were all of us free to come back and to continue as we saw fit. And then we sang. 25 years further on since Greenham and there we were singing 'You Can't Kill the Spirit' and weaving the spiral as we walked and sang, mingling our spirits in a fitting ending. And as the spiral twisted and turned and we passed each other , the web was woven again. I saw tears and smiles and was overwhelmed with the love and compassion shared between us. I fancy that the police felt it too. And then it was quite naturally time. The leavings began. More announcements about the excellent transport arrangements. The Glasgow coach looked like being pretty full so could those only going to the peace camp get the minibus?
Slideshow of images from 365 days of protest at Faslane
New friends and old friends making plans. Over is never over. In some of the close embraces a whisper passed of still more lock ons to come - could people hang out a bit longer? Lend support. The litter. The clear up. Down in the cemetery car park the Glasgow crowd were gathered. I was leaving in the minibus when the early start today kicked in. The others were boarding a bus with an incomprehensible destination. A bit confused, I asked my driver who explained that it was the Finnish coach who was doing some of the runs!
Lots of nationalities there today. And lots of occupations, as the business studies lecturer from Stirling university who is the transport co-ordinator in his other life proved. The hippy label is hard to attach at Faslane!
Earlier, Rinky Dink turned up with a mike and I had read my play, the anti nuclear monologues, which I had written for the No Nukes Northants blockade in April. It closes with a roll call of all the groups who had taken part in Faslane 365 up till the half way point. I asked people who had not been mentioned to come and tell me so that I could complete the list. A 75 year old woman from the Isle of Skye Peace and Justice group came over. Then a young woman from 'Young Scots for Independence'. Next someone from Unity, the union of asylum seekers. And Pete from Lands End, Penzance. Quite a big spread from there to Assynt in the North West tip of Scotland, Norwich in the east. With Irish protesters clearly present we had the British Isles well covered.
The Rinky Dink session included moving performances from Leon Rosselson, Roy Bailey, Seize the day, some poems from Bob the poet and finished with a poem about the power of love written by Mumia Abu-Jaal, an activist on death row.
Earlier still an improptu Ceilidh saw me on the fiddle, joined by another fiddler, an accordionist, a drummer, a whistle player and a guitarist... providing the juice for a very lively group of dancers. It certainly lifted the energy which did flag at times. Notably this morning after the first rush of lock ons, sit downs and arrests. The police were nervous and clumsy first thing. I heard "you are hurting me" too many times for comfort.
180 arrests though, the last of which was a few of our choir at about 3.30, who had just given our final performance of 'Trident, A British War Crime' by Camilla Cancantata.
All in all an excellent day - and that is all there is time for from one impromptu blogger.
Find out more about Why Britain should stop deploying Trident (PDF).
