Liverpool people were amongst several hundred who came together in the Yorkshire countryside on Friday, July 4th. The location wasn't obvious for a party - NSA Menwisth Hill is the world's largest intelligence-gathering base and, surprise surprise - it's American. The site was secretively given to the US military in 1951, and has played an important role in military operations since, including the Gulf Wars. A new agreement with the UK government is allowing it to house crucial equipment for the new US Missile Defense System. That's also known as 'Star Wars' - but it won't be defending us from aliens. This programme represents America's stated desire to achieve "full spectrum dominance" over the rest of the world, and it breaches non-proliferation treaties. With its 29 'golf balls'/radomes and expensive police protection, the base is not - even in theory - accountable to the British public. Thanks to a long-lived women's peace camp by the site and the work of the Campaign for the Accountabilty of American Bases, there is a tradition of protest and resistance against the base.

The Gatecrashers Ball - Party for Independence from America - started with police hassle and a mass walk around part of the perimeter. A couple of people gave cops an excuse to arrest them, and the party gathered around the sound system set up by the gates. Mark Thomas (TV activist and funny guy) improved the mood and he introduced several speakers, singers and bands. In between depressing sci-fi-like tales about what the US is up to, there was some class entertainment and punters dancing in ball gowns under the gaze of armed police.

The next demo at Menwith Hill is noon, Sat 12th October.
www.caab.org.uk
www.now-peace.org.uk