Cruise Missile Protest 1982

Protest halts traffic on Whitechapel Rd in 1982

These photographs were taken in 1982 at the junction of Whitechapel Rd and Vallance Rd. The protesters are from a local peace group who took direct action to halt the traffic on Whitechapel Rd which was used to transport Cruise missiles to Greenham Common.

Cruise convoys convey death

At this time the Greenham Common peace camp was established to protest against the decision of the British government to allow American cruise missiles to be based there. In December 1982, 30,000 Women, including those photographed here, joined hands around the base at the Embrace the Base event. After making there point by holding traffic up for some time the protesters followed instructions from the police and allowed traffic to flow freely. The Women’s peace camp at Greenham Common inspired the creation of other peace camps at more than a dozen sites in Britain and elsewhere in Europe. Note the remnants of the Lahore Kebab House in the background on New Rd.

A waiting motor cyclist reads a flyer about the protest

In 1991 the last missiles left Greenham and protesters won the right to house a memorial site which was established in October 2002.

Police arrive at the protest

When the police arrived they addressed their remarks to the only man in the demonstration. When the women asked the officer to address them because they were a collective it caused some confusion. In the end the protest finished with no arrests. The protesters had made their point effectively.

This is one of my favourite blogs from 2010. I am pleased to publish it again today.