star wars action Athens
Greenpeace volunteers protested today in front of the building of the US embassy in Athens, Greece as a response to this morning's test of the 'Star Wars' missile intercept programme. Two missiles were launched in the early hours of the morning, one from the US military base in California and one from the Marshall islands. The US government's proposed National Missile Defense, also known as 'Star Wars', will spark the collapse of international arms control and disarmament and will effectively trigger a new nuclear arms race.
The Greenpeace volunteers unfurled a big banner which read 'Stop Star Wars' in front of the entrance of the US embassy. The message was written on a replica of the American flag whose stars were replaced by radioactivity symbols and whose horizontal lines were formed by figures of missiles. The "American President" was also present, parading back and forth, on his stilts.
Many demonstrations, like the one in Athens, took place around the world to condemn today's missile launch. Greenpeace volunteers from several countries managed to delay for approximately 40 minutes the missile launch in Vandenberg, California. Swimmers and inflatables managed to penetrate the restricted area before four of them being arrested.
"Star Wars will not protect the American people nor its allies, and will jeopardize world peace. It will destroy all existing and future agreements on nuclear arms control and disarmament. The only ones who will profit from Star Wars are arms contractors,"
said Nikos Charalambides, Campaigns Director for Greenpeace Greece.
"We hope that similar actions around the world will send a loud message to President Bush. World Peace and Nuclear Disarmament are far too crucial to be managed by the Arms Industry and by those who support it. We will not allow decades of efforts to go to waste. We call on citizens and governments to send a clear message to all directions. The elimination of nuclear weapons is the only truly 'reliable' defense against the risk of mass destruction."
