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Tuesday, 25 March 2008, 07:27 GMT

Peaceful Aldermaston anniversary

Aldermaston march on Easter Monday 2008 A protest to mark the 50th anniversary of a march to the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) in Berkshire passed peacefully, police said.

About 1,400 people gathered at the site at Aldermaston on Easter Monday.

The first march was held at Easter in 1958, shortly after the formation of Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND).

People from across the UK, including some who had attended the original march, travelled to take part in the anniversary protest.

High profile faces, including fashion designer Vivienne Westwood and CND's 84-year-old vice president Walter Wolfgang, were also at the event.

In 1958, some 10,000 people marched from London to Aldermaston in protest at Britain's first hydrogen bomb tests 50 years ago.

The site is the headquarters of Britain's nuclear weapons programme.

Christopher Holden with the original placard he took as a 15-year-old to the march in 1958

Christopher Holden, who was 15 years old when he went on the first march, said: "I just remember the great feeling of how worried everybody was about the nuclear issue during the Cold War.

"The issue hasn't gone away. It is still as important as it was then."

AWE provides the warheads for Trident - the submarine-launched missile system that constitutes the UK's nuclear deterrent.

Organisers of Monday's march said they wanted to highlight how the site is being expanded to develop the next generation of nuclear warheads.

More than 150 officers from the Thames Valley, MoD and Hampshire police forces, including mounted officers were at Aldermaston to "facilitate a lawful and peaceful protest".

Supt Chris Shead, of Thames Valley Police, said: "We would like to express our thanks to the demonstrators for their co-operation and consideration throughout the day."




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Related to this story:
March at Aldermaston 50 years on (24 Mar 08 |  Berkshire )
World's best-known protest symbol turns 50 (20 Mar 08 |  Magazine )
Banned anti-nuclear camps 'go on' (10 Mar 08 |  Berkshire )
Anti-nuclear protesters fight MoD (01 Feb 08 |  Berkshire )
Marchers protest at nuclear base (12 Apr 04 |  Berkshire )
Still fighting the bomb, 50 years on (09 Apr 04 |  UK )

RELATED INTERNET LINKS
Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE)
CND UK
Ministry of Defence
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