#greenham-common — Public Fediverse posts

from the #suffragettes and the women of #GreenhamCommon to #ExtinctionRebellion and the #TridentPloughshares movement: “Blurring the distinction between principled #directaction and terrorism is the hallmark of authoritarian regimes.”
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jun/10/four-palestine-action-protesters-terrorists-constitutional-threat

#Elbit #Gaza #Militaryindustrialcomplex #PalestineAction #Solidarity

from the #suffragettes and the women of #GreenhamCommon to #ExtinctionRebellion and the #TridentPloughshares movement: “Blurring the distinction between principled #directaction and terrorism is the hallmark of authoritarian regimes.”
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jun/10/four-palestine-action-protesters-terrorists-constitutional-threat

#Elbit #Gaza #Militaryindustrialcomplex #PalestineAction #Solidarity

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKoWKF3ktXI

Watching this video reminded me how much activist history gets distorted by sectarianism.

At places like #Greenham, divisions formed around the "colour" of the gates - different ideologies, identities, and political cultures. The trouble is that the loudest and most conflict-driven voices end up telling the history afterwards.

The people saying *"look at me"* get remembered, while the people saying *"don't look at me, I'm busy, look at the issue"* are usually too busy doing the actual work to document it.

This leaves us with a skewed activist memory, where internal drama becomes history and the slow, collective labour that made things happen fades into the background.

It's not just a problem of the past. We keep reproducing the same mess today.

#activism #GreenhamCommon #history #socialchange #OMN #stupidindividualism #openweb #makeinghistory

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKoWKF3ktXI

Watching this video reminded me how much activist history gets distorted by sectarianism.

At places like #Greenham, divisions formed around the "colour" of the gates - different ideologies, identities, and political cultures. The trouble is that the loudest and most conflict-driven voices end up telling the history afterwards.

The people saying *"look at me"* get remembered, while the people saying *"don't look at me, I'm busy, look at the issue"* are usually too busy doing the actual work to document it.

This leaves us with a skewed activist memory, where internal drama becomes history and the slow, collective labour that made things happen fades into the background.

It's not just a problem of the past. We keep reproducing the same mess today.

#activism #GreenhamCommon #history #socialchange #OMN #stupidindividualism #openweb #makeinghistory

Hexing the Bomb

Hot on the heels of my little foray into the Battle of the Beanfield I decided to dig a little deeper into another important and largely forgotten nugget of social history. This one incorporates a couple of my favourite subjects, neither of which is politics. It does, however, have women standing up together and achieving the seemingly impossible and witches.

Pull up a chair… 🙂

There are moments in history when politics, folklore and belief collide in ways that seem almost impossible to imagine. One such moment unfolded on the windswept perimeter fences of Greenham Common during the final decades of the Cold War, when thousands of women gathered to oppose the presence of American nuclear missiles on British soil. Among the banners, songs and acts of civil disobedience was something few journalists expected to find at the heart of a major political protest. Witches.

For nearly two decades, Greenham Common became one of the most significant centres of peace activism in modern British history. It was a place of arrests, demonstrations, campfires and confrontation. It was also a place where ancient symbols found new life. Women danced in circles, wove webs across military fences, invoked goddesses, cast symbolic spells and drew upon centuries of folklore to challenge one of the most powerful military alliances in the world.

To understand why, we must first return to a Britain gripped by fear.

The early 1980s were shadowed by the threat of nuclear war. Relations between East and West had deteriorated. The Soviet Union and NATO were engaged in a dangerous arms race. Television viewers watched films such as Threads and The Day After, which depicted the horrific consequences of nuclear conflict. Schoolchildren grew up with the knowledge that a single political miscalculation could end civilisation in an afternoon.

Against this backdrop, the British government agreed to host American cruise missiles at RAF Greenham Common in Berkshire. To supporters, the deployment was a necessary deterrent. To opponents, it made Britain a target and increased the likelihood of nuclear confrontation.

In September 1981, a small group of Welsh women marched from Cardiff to Greenham Common. Their intention was straightforward. They wanted a public debate about nuclear weapons. When their concerns were ignored, some chose to remain.

Few could have imagined that their decision would create one of the most influential protest movements in modern British history.

The Greenham Common Women’s Peace Camp became a permanent presence outside the military base. Women arrived from every corner of Britain and beyond. Some stayed for days. Others remained for years. Grandmothers camped alongside students. Teachers shared fires with artists, nurses, activists and travellers. The camp developed its own culture, traditions and rituals.

Media coverage was often hostile. Newspapers portrayed the women as scruffy, eccentric or dangerous. Politicians dismissed them as naïve. Yet Greenham continued to grow. By December 1982, around 30,000 women joined hands around the nine-mile perimeter fence in one of the largest demonstrations Britain had ever seen.

As the movement evolved, some participants began drawing upon folklore, mythology and spiritual traditions to express their opposition to nuclear weapons.

For many women involved in the peace camp, the figure of the witch held profound significance.The witch has never been simply a character from fairy tales. Across European history she has represented independence, resistance and the refusal to conform. She is the village healer, the wise woman, the outsider and the scapegoat. She embodies knowledge that exists beyond accepted authority.

Many women at Greenham recognised parallels between historical witch hunts and contemporary attempts to dismiss or marginalise female voices. The image of the witch became a powerful symbol of protest.

Some protesters identified as pagans or practitioners of modern witchcraft. Others were not religious at all but embraced the symbolism. Together they transformed folklore into a political language.

At various demonstrations, women dressed as witches, carrying besoms and wearing pointed hats. They conducted symbolic rituals outside the base gates. Circles were formed. Chants were spoken. Songs echoed through the Berkshire countryside.

Perhaps most striking were the webs.Women frequently attached ribbons, wool, photographs, toys and personal objects to the military fences. These creations resembled enormous spider webs stretching across the perimeter. They symbolised connection, community and the fragile threads linking humanity together. Military planners saw security barriers. The women transformed them into canvases for storytelling.

One protest became known as the “Embrace the Base” demonstration, during which thousands of women encircled Greenham Common. The act itself echoed ancient traditions of protective circles and boundary rituals found throughout British folklore.In many folk traditions, circles create sacred space. They mark a distinction between the ordinary and the extraordinary. Whether consciously or unconsciously, Greenham’s protesters drew upon symbolism that would have been recognised by generations of cunning folk, ceremonial magicians and village communities.

There were also reports of symbolic spell-casting directed not at individuals but at the weapons themselves.

These actions were largely theatrical and symbolic. Yet symbolism has always been one of humanity’s most powerful tools. Flags, crowns, crosses and national monuments derive their power from collective belief. Greenham’s witches understood this. They recognised that ritual could attract attention, build solidarity and create memorable images capable of travelling far beyond the camp itself.Photographs from the period remain remarkable. Women dance beneath military floodlights. Costumed protesters stand before coils of razor wire. Sacred imagery appears alongside anti-nuclear slogans. Ancient archetypes confront modern technology.

The contrast could hardly have been more dramatic.

Behind the spectacle lay a serious philosophical question. How should ordinary people respond when faced with systems that appear too vast to challenge?

For some, the answer lay in petitions or political lobbying. For others, it involved direct action. At Greenham, many women chose creativity. They responded to missiles with songs, fences with artwork and military authority with myth.

It is tempting to dismiss such actions as eccentric. Yet history suggests otherwise.Throughout the centuries, folklore has often emerged during periods of uncertainty and upheaval. Communities create stories to explain fears, express hopes and challenge power structures. Ballads mocked landlords. legends criticised rulers. Folk customs strengthened communities during times of hardship.

Greenham Common followed the same pattern.The camp generated its own folklore almost immediately. Stories circulated among protesters. Songs were composed. Rituals evolved. Shared symbols developed meaning through repetition. What began as a political protest became something resembling a living folk tradition.

Even the landscape itself absorbed these stories.

Greenham Common is now remembered not only as a military site but as a place of resistance. The fences have gone. The missiles have long since been removed. Yet the stories remain. Visitors still encounter traces of the movement in memorials, artworks and local memory.

The protest ultimately achieved far more than many observers predicted. Cruise missiles were removed from Greenham Common in 1991 following the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. The peace camp remained for several years afterwards before finally closing in 2000.

Whether Greenham alone changed government policy remains a matter of debate. Few historians would argue that it was the sole cause. Yet its influence on public discourse is undeniable. The movement helped shape conversations about nuclear weapons, gender, protest and citizenship. It inspired campaigns around the world and demonstrated the power of sustained grassroots activism.

The witches of Greenham Common occupy a particularly fascinating place within that story.

They remind us that folklore is not confined to dusty books or distant centuries. It remains a living force, capable of adapting to new circumstances and addressing modern concerns. Ancient symbols continue to resonate because they speak to enduring human experiences.

The women who danced around Greenham’s fences were not attempting to retreat into the past. They were using the past to imagine a different future.

In an age dominated by military technology, political rhetoric and the machinery of the Cold War, they answered with stories, songs, rituals and symbols that had survived for centuries.

Whether one believes in magic is ultimately beside the point.

The real magic of Greenham Common lay in its ability to transform fear into action, isolation into community and protest into legend.

More than forty years later, the image remains unforgettable. A line of women standing beneath winter skies, facing one of the most formidable military establishments on Earth armed with banners, determination and the enduring power of folklore.

History remembers the missiles.

Folklore remembers the witches.

Further Reading

Common Women, Uncommon Practices by Sasha RoseneilGreenham Women Everywhere by Rebecca Mordan

Peace Camps: A Study of Greenham Women by Lynne Jones

The archives of the Greenham Common Women’s Peace

CampRecords held by the Women’s Library at the London School of Economics

Imperial War Museum collections relating to Greenham Common

Oral history projects documenting former Greenham residents

Copyright Notice:

© 2026 Mysterious Times. All rights reserved.This article is published exclusively for Mysterious Times. No part may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form without prior written permission, except for brief quotations used for review, commentary or educational purposes with appropriate attribution.

Hexing the Bomb

Hot on the heels of my little foray into the Battle of the Beanfield I decided to dig a little deeper into another important and largely forgotten nugget of social history. This one incorporates a couple of my favourite subjects, neither of which is politics. It does, however, have women standing up together and achieving the seemingly impossible and witches.

Pull up a chair… 🙂

There are moments in history when politics, folklore and belief collide in ways that seem almost impossible to imagine. One such moment unfolded on the windswept perimeter fences of Greenham Common during the final decades of the Cold War, when thousands of women gathered to oppose the presence of American nuclear missiles on British soil. Among the banners, songs and acts of civil disobedience was something few journalists expected to find at the heart of a major political protest. Witches.

For nearly two decades, Greenham Common became one of the most significant centres of peace activism in modern British history. It was a place of arrests, demonstrations, campfires and confrontation. It was also a place where ancient symbols found new life. Women danced in circles, wove webs across military fences, invoked goddesses, cast symbolic spells and drew upon centuries of folklore to challenge one of the most powerful military alliances in the world.

To understand why, we must first return to a Britain gripped by fear.

The early 1980s were shadowed by the threat of nuclear war. Relations between East and West had deteriorated. The Soviet Union and NATO were engaged in a dangerous arms race. Television viewers watched films such as Threads and The Day After, which depicted the horrific consequences of nuclear conflict. Schoolchildren grew up with the knowledge that a single political miscalculation could end civilisation in an afternoon.

Against this backdrop, the British government agreed to host American cruise missiles at RAF Greenham Common in Berkshire. To supporters, the deployment was a necessary deterrent. To opponents, it made Britain a target and increased the likelihood of nuclear confrontation.

In September 1981, a small group of Welsh women marched from Cardiff to Greenham Common. Their intention was straightforward. They wanted a public debate about nuclear weapons. When their concerns were ignored, some chose to remain.

Few could have imagined that their decision would create one of the most influential protest movements in modern British history.

The Greenham Common Women’s Peace Camp became a permanent presence outside the military base. Women arrived from every corner of Britain and beyond. Some stayed for days. Others remained for years. Grandmothers camped alongside students. Teachers shared fires with artists, nurses, activists and travellers. The camp developed its own culture, traditions and rituals.

Media coverage was often hostile. Newspapers portrayed the women as scruffy, eccentric or dangerous. Politicians dismissed them as naïve. Yet Greenham continued to grow. By December 1982, around 30,000 women joined hands around the nine-mile perimeter fence in one of the largest demonstrations Britain had ever seen.

As the movement evolved, some participants began drawing upon folklore, mythology and spiritual traditions to express their opposition to nuclear weapons.

For many women involved in the peace camp, the figure of the witch held profound significance.The witch has never been simply a character from fairy tales. Across European history she has represented independence, resistance and the refusal to conform. She is the village healer, the wise woman, the outsider and the scapegoat. She embodies knowledge that exists beyond accepted authority.

Many women at Greenham recognised parallels between historical witch hunts and contemporary attempts to dismiss or marginalise female voices. The image of the witch became a powerful symbol of protest.

Some protesters identified as pagans or practitioners of modern witchcraft. Others were not religious at all but embraced the symbolism. Together they transformed folklore into a political language.

At various demonstrations, women dressed as witches, carrying besoms and wearing pointed hats. They conducted symbolic rituals outside the base gates. Circles were formed. Chants were spoken. Songs echoed through the Berkshire countryside.

Perhaps most striking were the webs.Women frequently attached ribbons, wool, photographs, toys and personal objects to the military fences. These creations resembled enormous spider webs stretching across the perimeter. They symbolised connection, community and the fragile threads linking humanity together. Military planners saw security barriers. The women transformed them into canvases for storytelling.

One protest became known as the “Embrace the Base” demonstration, during which thousands of women encircled Greenham Common. The act itself echoed ancient traditions of protective circles and boundary rituals found throughout British folklore.In many folk traditions, circles create sacred space. They mark a distinction between the ordinary and the extraordinary. Whether consciously or unconsciously, Greenham’s protesters drew upon symbolism that would have been recognised by generations of cunning folk, ceremonial magicians and village communities.

There were also reports of symbolic spell-casting directed not at individuals but at the weapons themselves.

These actions were largely theatrical and symbolic. Yet symbolism has always been one of humanity’s most powerful tools. Flags, crowns, crosses and national monuments derive their power from collective belief. Greenham’s witches understood this. They recognised that ritual could attract attention, build solidarity and create memorable images capable of travelling far beyond the camp itself.Photographs from the period remain remarkable. Women dance beneath military floodlights. Costumed protesters stand before coils of razor wire. Sacred imagery appears alongside anti-nuclear slogans. Ancient archetypes confront modern technology.

The contrast could hardly have been more dramatic.

Behind the spectacle lay a serious philosophical question. How should ordinary people respond when faced with systems that appear too vast to challenge?

For some, the answer lay in petitions or political lobbying. For others, it involved direct action. At Greenham, many women chose creativity. They responded to missiles with songs, fences with artwork and military authority with myth.

It is tempting to dismiss such actions as eccentric. Yet history suggests otherwise.Throughout the centuries, folklore has often emerged during periods of uncertainty and upheaval. Communities create stories to explain fears, express hopes and challenge power structures. Ballads mocked landlords. legends criticised rulers. Folk customs strengthened communities during times of hardship.

Greenham Common followed the same pattern.The camp generated its own folklore almost immediately. Stories circulated among protesters. Songs were composed. Rituals evolved. Shared symbols developed meaning through repetition. What began as a political protest became something resembling a living folk tradition.

Even the landscape itself absorbed these stories.

Greenham Common is now remembered not only as a military site but as a place of resistance. The fences have gone. The missiles have long since been removed. Yet the stories remain. Visitors still encounter traces of the movement in memorials, artworks and local memory.

The protest ultimately achieved far more than many observers predicted. Cruise missiles were removed from Greenham Common in 1991 following the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. The peace camp remained for several years afterwards before finally closing in 2000.

Whether Greenham alone changed government policy remains a matter of debate. Few historians would argue that it was the sole cause. Yet its influence on public discourse is undeniable. The movement helped shape conversations about nuclear weapons, gender, protest and citizenship. It inspired campaigns around the world and demonstrated the power of sustained grassroots activism.

The witches of Greenham Common occupy a particularly fascinating place within that story.

They remind us that folklore is not confined to dusty books or distant centuries. It remains a living force, capable of adapting to new circumstances and addressing modern concerns. Ancient symbols continue to resonate because they speak to enduring human experiences.

The women who danced around Greenham’s fences were not attempting to retreat into the past. They were using the past to imagine a different future.

In an age dominated by military technology, political rhetoric and the machinery of the Cold War, they answered with stories, songs, rituals and symbols that had survived for centuries.

Whether one believes in magic is ultimately beside the point.

The real magic of Greenham Common lay in its ability to transform fear into action, isolation into community and protest into legend.

More than forty years later, the image remains unforgettable. A line of women standing beneath winter skies, facing one of the most formidable military establishments on Earth armed with banners, determination and the enduring power of folklore.

History remembers the missiles.

Folklore remembers the witches.

Further Reading

Common Women, Uncommon Practices by Sasha RoseneilGreenham Women Everywhere by Rebecca Mordan

Peace Camps: A Study of Greenham Women by Lynne Jones

The archives of the Greenham Common Women’s Peace

CampRecords held by the Women’s Library at the London School of Economics

Imperial War Museum collections relating to Greenham Common

Oral history projects documenting former Greenham residents

Copyright Notice:

© 2026 Mysterious Times. All rights reserved.This article is published exclusively for Mysterious Times. No part may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form without prior written permission, except for brief quotations used for review, commentary or educational purposes with appropriate attribution.

Divide over fossil fuels phaseout can be bridged, Cop30 president says https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/nov/19/divide-over-fossil-fuels-phaseout-can-be-bridged-cop30-president-says #Greenhousegasemissions #LuizInácioLuladaSilva #GreenhamCommon #Climatecrisis #Fossilfuels #Environment #Americas #Brazil #Energy #Cop30

Divide over fossil fuels phaseout can be bridged, Cop30 president says https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/nov/19/divide-over-fossil-fuels-phaseout-can-be-bridged-cop30-president-says #Greenhousegasemissions #LuizInácioLuladaSilva #GreenhamCommon #Climatecrisis #Fossilfuels #Brazil #Cop30

Divide over fossil fuels phaseout can be bridged, Cop30 president says https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/nov/19/divide-over-fossil-fuels-phaseout-can-be-bridged-cop30-president-says #Greenhousegasemissions #LuizInácioLuladaSilva #GreenhamCommon #Climatecrisis #Fossilfuels #Brazil #Cop30

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/article/2024/jul/17/met-spying-greenham-common-protest-waste-of-money-campaigners-inquiry

Under Cover Policing Inquiry (GC)
https://www.ucpi.org.uk/search-results/?fwp_search=Greenham+Common

Police Spies Out of Lives
https://policespiesoutoflives.org.uk/i-lived-at-peace-camps-we-didnt-deserve-to-be-spied-on/

#Spycops
https://www.spycops.co.uk/

Police Officers from Special Demonstration Squad (SDS, 1968-2008) & National Public Order Intelligence Unit (NPOIU, 1999-2011) lived undercover as “activists” for years at a time, spying on more than 1,000 groups.
https://policespiesoutoflives.org.uk/tranche-2-phase-1-round-up-week-3/

#GreenhamCommon #PeaceCamps
#surveillance #UCPI #undercoverpolicing

Saturday 13th September 2025
🧶 Greenham Women Everywhere who will be speaking and demonstrating examples of ‘tactical frivolity’
🎶
There will also be performances from #CommonersChoir, who will be singing songs from #GreenhamCommon.

#antimilitarism #CruiseMissiles #frivolity #NoNukes #Peace

We criminalise the political stunt at our peril. It is a crucial art form that is impossible to ignore | Mark Borkowski https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/aug/20/political-stunts-anger-criminalise-suffragettes-protest #ExtinctionRebellion #Women'ssuffrage #GreenhamCommon #Israel-Gazawar #LedByDonkeys #Politics #Protest #UKnews

@Natasha_Jay

#GreenhamCommon

"US Irradiation of Women at Greenham Common, England, 1984

In the fall of 1984 women protesters at the USAF airbase at Greenham Common in England were subjected to beams of non-thermal microwave irradiation, after they started to be more active following the arrival of Cruise missiles in March 1984. They suffered typical specific Electrosensitivity symptoms, which were documented at the time.

These women suffered unusual patterns of illness which ranged from 'severe headaches, drowsiness, menstrual bleeding at abnormal times or post-menopausal, to bouts of temporary paralysis, faulty speech coordination and in one case apparent circulatory failure requiring hospitalization'

(Rosalie Bertell, commissioner for International Commission of Health Professionals for Human Rights, Geneva, Switzerland; Anna Keeler: 'Remote Mind Control Technology', in Jim Keith: 'Secret and Suppressed': 38-39)

Other documented symptoms included:

'vertigo, retinal bleeding, burnt face (even at night), nausea, sleep disturbances and palpitations … lack of concentration, disorientation, loss of memory, irritability and a sense of panic in non-panic situations.'

(Kim Bealy: 'Electromagnetic Pollution: A Little Known Health Hazard, A New Means of Control?' Preliminary Report, Greenham Common Women’s Peace Camp)

'Doctors are compiling a report on the condition of a number of Greenham Common peace women who have had symptoms which are consistent with the known neurophysiological effects of electromagnetic waves, or low level radiation. These symptoms range from headache and dizziness to difficulties of concentration or memory. Fears of electronic 'zapping' have led peace women at the camp to keep a record of ill-effects reported by their groups over the past year.

Claims that this has revealed a pattern of illness will be presented by the peacewomen at a media briefing in London today. They will report that at least 40 women present at different points around the nine-mile perimeter of the American cruise missile base have experienced similar symptoms, at the same times. Dr. Stephen Farrow, chairman of the Medical Campaign Against Nuclear weapons said yesterday: 'We are now compiling evidence about the claims made by the women. There is obviously a great deal of interest in what they say; it seem feasible,

The Greenham women claim that meter tests outside camp, taken at times when women have experienced the symptoms, have shown a marked increase in background microwave signal levels. they also say the symptoms are more pronounced when cruise missile convoys leave the camp.'

Parry G: 'Doctors investigating claims of Greenham radiation cases: Peace women fear electronic zapping at base' (Guardian, Mar, 10: 3, 1986)

'Women peace campers at Greenham Common, England, claim that they are being attacked by the US electronic weapons from within the US airbase there. They believe that some form of electromagnetic wave or other signal is being directed at them and is responsible for a number of illnesses they have suffered over the past year. Symptoms range from mild headaches and drowsiness to bouts of temporary paralysis and, in one case, an apparent circulatory failure which required emergency treatment. Women have also complained of sharp pains and problems with speech coordination. A team of doctors from the Medical Campaign Against nuclear Weapons are compiling a report on the condition of the women affected.

The women first noticed a pattern of illnesses emerging in 1984. They discounted food or water poisoning as a cause and started to suspect interference from inside the base. They found that women at different points around the camp appeared to have experienced similar symptoms at the same time, even when they were not in contact with one another.

They believe there is a deliberate intent to make life difficult for them and so drive them away. Some of the worst affected women now find it impossible to stay around Greenham for more than a short period of time.

Electronic weapons are know to have been used by security forces on a number of occasions. The Americans are reported to have used ultrasound to disorient and demoralize their enemies during the Vietnam war and a number of American police forces are believed to have carried out trials with infra-sound generators mounted on the back of trucks. The high intensity, low frequency pressure waves these produce are said to cause vomiting, nausea and a range of other disturbances and to induce fits in those who are subject to them. American medical groups have protested against the proposed use of these weapons for urban riot control.

Microwave radiation is also believed to have been used as a weapon at various times. The most celebrated instance was the irradiation of the US Embassy in Moscow during the 1950s, '60s and '70s.

The women at Greenham Common suspect that more than one type of frequency of radiation is being used against them. They say that the symptoms vary from time to time and seem to reflect what takes place on the base. Large numbers of women have complained of sudden feelings of extreme tiredness shortly before major events, such as the departure of a cruise missile convoy and on other occasions when their activities might have proved particularly awkward for the forces using the base.

We have conducted a number of tests around the base in cooperation with journalists from other organizations. Readings taken with a wide range signal strength meter showed marked increases in the background signal level near one of the womens' camps at a time when they claimed to be experiencing ill effects.

On another occasion, previously low signal levels near the camp rose sharply when the women created a disturbance just outside the perimeter fence of the base.

The signal levels measured were well above normal background levels but still within official safety limits. however, there is evidence from a number of sources that low levels of electromagnetic radiation can have harmful effects especially where exposure takes place over a long period of time.'

'Air Force Accused of 'Zapping' Protesters' (Electronics Today, reprinted in On Guard, 1987, p.6)'

https://www.electrosensitivity.co/emf-warfare--weapons.html

@Natasha_Jay

#GreenhamCommon

"US Irradiation of Women at Greenham Common, England, 1984

In the fall of 1984 women protesters at the USAF airbase at Greenham Common in England were subjected to beams of non-thermal microwave irradiation, after they started to be more active following the arrival of Cruise missiles in March 1984. They suffered typical specific Electrosensitivity symptoms, which were documented at the time.

These women suffered unusual patterns of illness which ranged from 'severe headaches, drowsiness, menstrual bleeding at abnormal times or post-menopausal, to bouts of temporary paralysis, faulty speech coordination and in one case apparent circulatory failure requiring hospitalization'

(Rosalie Bertell, commissioner for International Commission of Health Professionals for Human Rights, Geneva, Switzerland; Anna Keeler: 'Remote Mind Control Technology', in Jim Keith: 'Secret and Suppressed': 38-39)

Other documented symptoms included:

'vertigo, retinal bleeding, burnt face (even at night), nausea, sleep disturbances and palpitations … lack of concentration, disorientation, loss of memory, irritability and a sense of panic in non-panic situations.'

(Kim Bealy: 'Electromagnetic Pollution: A Little Known Health Hazard, A New Means of Control?' Preliminary Report, Greenham Common Women’s Peace Camp)

'Doctors are compiling a report on the condition of a number of Greenham Common peace women who have had symptoms which are consistent with the known neurophysiological effects of electromagnetic waves, or low level radiation. These symptoms range from headache and dizziness to difficulties of concentration or memory. Fears of electronic 'zapping' have led peace women at the camp to keep a record of ill-effects reported by their groups over the past year.

Claims that this has revealed a pattern of illness will be presented by the peacewomen at a media briefing in London today. They will report that at least 40 women present at different points around the nine-mile perimeter of the American cruise missile base have experienced similar symptoms, at the same times. Dr. Stephen Farrow, chairman of the Medical Campaign Against Nuclear weapons said yesterday: 'We are now compiling evidence about the claims made by the women. There is obviously a great deal of interest in what they say; it seem feasible,

The Greenham women claim that meter tests outside camp, taken at times when women have experienced the symptoms, have shown a marked increase in background microwave signal levels. they also say the symptoms are more pronounced when cruise missile convoys leave the camp.'

Parry G: 'Doctors investigating claims of Greenham radiation cases: Peace women fear electronic zapping at base' (Guardian, Mar, 10: 3, 1986)

'Women peace campers at Greenham Common, England, claim that they are being attacked by the US electronic weapons from within the US airbase there. They believe that some form of electromagnetic wave or other signal is being directed at them and is responsible for a number of illnesses they have suffered over the past year. Symptoms range from mild headaches and drowsiness to bouts of temporary paralysis and, in one case, an apparent circulatory failure which required emergency treatment. Women have also complained of sharp pains and problems with speech coordination. A team of doctors from the Medical Campaign Against nuclear Weapons are compiling a report on the condition of the women affected.

The women first noticed a pattern of illnesses emerging in 1984. They discounted food or water poisoning as a cause and started to suspect interference from inside the base. They found that women at different points around the camp appeared to have experienced similar symptoms at the same time, even when they were not in contact with one another.

They believe there is a deliberate intent to make life difficult for them and so drive them away. Some of the worst affected women now find it impossible to stay around Greenham for more than a short period of time.

Electronic weapons are know to have been used by security forces on a number of occasions. The Americans are reported to have used ultrasound to disorient and demoralize their enemies during the Vietnam war and a number of American police forces are believed to have carried out trials with infra-sound generators mounted on the back of trucks. The high intensity, low frequency pressure waves these produce are said to cause vomiting, nausea and a range of other disturbances and to induce fits in those who are subject to them. American medical groups have protested against the proposed use of these weapons for urban riot control.

Microwave radiation is also believed to have been used as a weapon at various times. The most celebrated instance was the irradiation of the US Embassy in Moscow during the 1950s, '60s and '70s.

The women at Greenham Common suspect that more than one type of frequency of radiation is being used against them. They say that the symptoms vary from time to time and seem to reflect what takes place on the base. Large numbers of women have complained of sudden feelings of extreme tiredness shortly before major events, such as the departure of a cruise missile convoy and on other occasions when their activities might have proved particularly awkward for the forces using the base.

We have conducted a number of tests around the base in cooperation with journalists from other organizations. Readings taken with a wide range signal strength meter showed marked increases in the background signal level near one of the womens' camps at a time when they claimed to be experiencing ill effects.

On another occasion, previously low signal levels near the camp rose sharply when the women created a disturbance just outside the perimeter fence of the base.

The signal levels measured were well above normal background levels but still within official safety limits. however, there is evidence from a number of sources that low levels of electromagnetic radiation can have harmful effects especially where exposure takes place over a long period of time.'

'Air Force Accused of 'Zapping' Protesters' (Electronics Today, reprinted in On Guard, 1987, p.6)'

https://www.electrosensitivity.co/emf-warfare--weapons.html

Wilfred Owen of sky is interviewing David Lammy.

And asks about US troops at RAF Lakenheath

"I can't comment on operational details," he replies

Ladies, it's #GreenhamCommon time again

Wilfred Owen of sky is interviewing David Lammy.

And asks about US troops at RAF Lakenheath

"I can't comment on operational details," he replies

Ladies, it's #GreenhamCommon time again

Today I visited #GreenhamCommon former RAF base and parked up was this lovely #Daimler250V8. Thought it made a good picture with the old air traffic control tower in the background. Mind how you go - http://miniphernalia.co.uk

#GreenhamCommon

'#Met spying on #GreenhamCommon protest was ‘ridiculous waste of money’, say campaigners

Undercover officer was deployed as #Thatcher wanted to know what the ‘#GreenhamWomen were doing’, inquiry told'
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/article/2024/jul/17/met-spying-greenham-common-protest-waste-of-money-campaigners-inquiry
#ThatchersLegacy

#GreenhamCommon

'#Met spying on #GreenhamCommon protest was ‘ridiculous waste of money’, say campaigners

Undercover officer was deployed as #Thatcher wanted to know what the ‘#GreenhamWomen were doing’, inquiry told'
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/article/2024/jul/17/met-spying-greenham-common-protest-waste-of-money-campaigners-inquiry
#ThatchersLegacy

In the early 1980s, the Cold War tensions reached new heights, reviving fears of nuclear annihilation among the public. It was during this time, in a small village in southwest Wales, that a group of women decided to elevate their local protest to an international level. This story is about the creation of the Greenham Common Peace Camp, a testament to the power of grassroots activism and the spirit of ordinary women.

The inspiration for this movement was deeply personal for many of the women involved. They were mothers and grandmothers, worried about the future of their children in a world where nuclear war seemed increasingly inevitable. Thalia Campbell, an artist and banner maker, was one of the original marchers and co-founder of the peace camp, she played a pivotal role in coordinating the sculpture project, the subject of this video, that became a symbol of their struggle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKoWKF3ktXI

The video is about the sculpture, which commemorates the march that started the camp. The sculpture itself was a significant endeavour, starting with small donations and gaining momentum after receiving the Transport and General Workers Union Peace Prize. Thalia Campbell spent ten years consulting with women around the world, and eventually, a life-size clay original was created. This original was made into a plaster cast and shipped to a foundry in Wales to be cast in bronze, creating a durable public monument.

The march to Greenham Common began on August 27, 1981. Thirty-six women, accompanied by their children in pushchairs, and six men, gathered outside City Hall in Cardiff to walk the 110 miles to Newbury in Berkshire. This group of women, who started as strangers, became a tribe as they walked together, slept in village halls, and shared their fears and hopes for a nuclear-free future.

The marchers carried with them a pamphlet showing a deformed child born after the Hiroshima bombing, highlighting the horrific consequences of nuclear radiation. They planned to deliver their petition against nuclear weapons upon reaching Greenham Common. However, upon arrival, they were ignored, prompting them to stay.

In a spontaneous decision inspired by the suffragettes, the women decided to chain themselves to the fence of Greenham Common. This act of defiance, initially met with confusion and humor by the local police, quickly gained attention. The women’s determination to make their voices heard led them to stay at the site, setting up an encampment despite having no initial plans to do so.

The camp grew as local supporters provided food and supplies. Over time, it became clear that this was not a temporary protest but a long-term commitment. The camp evolved into a women-only space, not out of sexism, but as a practical decision to avoid manipulative tactics by the police that could provoke violence. This decision also created a safe space for women to express their views and experiences without fear.

The Greenham Common Peace Camp faced internal and external challenges. Leading to the formation of different groups and camps around the site. The presence of women with various personal problems, as well as significant numbers of lesbians, brought both strength and complexity to the movement.

Growing from these challenges, the Greenham Common Peace Camp became a powerful symbol of non-violent protest and women’s activism. The sculpture, created over a year, stands as a testament to the untold stories of the women who gave birth to this remarkable movement.

The Greenham Common Peace Camp left an indelible mark on history, demonstrating the impact of collective action and the courage of women to dared to challenge the status quo. Their story is one of resilience, solidarity, and the unwavering belief in a peaceful future.

The film is by #hamishcampbell

#greenhamcommon #peace #women #scupture #makeinghistory

https://hamishcampbell.com/a-story-of-ordinary-women-doing-extraordinary-things/

#greenhamcommon #hamishcampbell #makeinghistory #peace #scupture #women

Adder tunnels created at Greenham and Crookham Commons as BBOWT tried to save the vulnerable snake species
https://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/adder-tunnels-helping-to-protect-endangered-snake-9367044/

#Adders
#AdderTunnels
#GreenhamCommon
#BBOWT
#NaturalEngland
#SpeciesRecoveryProgram

Adder tunnels created at Greenham and Crookham Commons as BBOWT tried to save the vulnerable snake species
https://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/adder-tunnels-helping-to-protect-endangered-snake-9367044/

#Adders
#AdderTunnels
#GreenhamCommon
#BBOWT
#NaturalEngland
#SpeciesRecoveryProgram

I just watched Des femmes face aux missiles (Sonia Gonzalez, 2022) and rated it 8/10 ~ https://m.imdb.com/title/tt28061565/ #films #cinema #cinemastodon #DesFemmesFaceAuxMissiles #SoniaGonzalez #GreenhamCommon #GreenhamPeaceCamp #memorials

Adder girl! Tunnels aim to encourage British snakes to mix and breed https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/may/10/adder-girl-tunnels-aim-to-encourage-british-snakes-to-mix-and-breed #GreenhamCommon #Environment #Berkshire #Wildlife #England #Animals #Snakes #UKnews

Adder girl! Tunnels aim to encourage British snakes to mix and breed https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/may/10/adder-girl-tunnels-aim-to-encourage-british-snakes-to-mix-and-breed #GreenhamCommon #Environment #Berkshire #Wildlife #England #Animals #Snakes #UKnews

We missed one of our favourites yesterday...

On 1 April 1983, around 200 women dressed as teddy bears or Easter bunnies break into the Greenham Common airbase in the UK to stage a protest picnic against nuclear warfare. Greenham was due to house US nuclear missiles.

A further 40,000 protestors, men and women, form a human chain linking Greenham to #Aldermaston and Burghfield.

#WomenInHistory #PeaceProtests #BritishHistory #GreenhamCommon #History #Hisotodons

We missed one of our favourites yesterday...

On 1 April 1983, around 200 women dressed as teddy bears or Easter bunnies break into the Greenham Common airbase in the UK to stage a protest picnic against nuclear warfare. Greenham was due to house US nuclear missiles.

A further 40,000 protestors, men and women, form a human chain linking Greenham to #Aldermaston and Burghfield.

#WomenInHistory #PeaceProtests #BritishHistory #GreenhamCommon #History #Hisotodons

#OnThisDay, 1 April 1983, around 200 women dressed as teddy bears or Easter bunnies break into the Greenham Common airbase in the UK to stage a protest picnic against nuclear warfare. Greenham was due to house US nuclear missiles.

A further 40,000 protestors, men and women, form a human chain linking Greenham to #Aldermaston and Burghfield.

#WomenInHistory #PeaceProtests #BritishHistory #GreenhamCommon #Histodons

#OnThisDay, 1 April 1983, around 200 women dressed as teddy bears or Easter bunnies break into the Greenham Common airbase in the UK to stage a protest picnic against nuclear warfare. Greenham was due to house US nuclear missiles.

A further 40,000 protestors, men and women, form a human chain linking Greenham to #Aldermaston and Burghfield.

#WomenInHistory #PeaceProtests #BritishHistory #GreenhamCommon #Histodons

Sixth form memories in the British Library this morning #GreenhamCommon

À Greenham Common, les pionnières de l’écoféminisme à la rencontre des jeunes activistes

Leur lutte est perçue comme un symbole de l’écoféminisme: 40 ans après le début du combat des femmes contre l’installation de missiles nucléaires sur la base de #GreenhamCommon, en Angleterre, de jeunes activistes et d’anciennes militantes ont recréé la marche originelle.

https://www.mediapart.fr/journal/international/101021/greenham-common-les-pionnieres-de-l-ecofeminisme-la-rencontre-des-jeunes-activistes