Major Rally to Farewell French Nuclear Sub

The Fremantle Anti-Nuclear Group will stage a major "Sod off Subs" march and rally in Fremantle tomorrow (Saturday March 24) to bid the French nuclear navy farewell. The public rally which begins in Kings Square at 2pm will include a simulated nuclear accident with participants "playing dead" to represent the effects such an event could have on the people of Western Australia.

Spokesperson for FANG Laurel Ellis said the rally would call for an end to the visits of all nuclear navies whatever the colour of their flags.

This morning members of FANG attempted to form a sea blockade in Cockburn Sound to prevent the French nuclear submarine FNS Perle from docking at HMAS Stirling. Two boatloads of protestors entered waters defined as restricted and were warned by the water police to turn back or they would be arrested and their boats impounded. Skipper of the Mark Allen, FANG's flagship vessel, Olly Watkins said the group had decided to return to shore after the water police agreed to deliver a letter of protest to the Captain of the Perle. "We came within 30 metres of the submarine and were able to call out to sailors standing on its deck," Mr Watkins said.

He said FANG would try to set up a meeting with the Captain of the Perle this afternoon to outline the group's objections to the visits of nuclear powered and armed vessels.

Ms Ellis said tomorrow's rally and march would give the people of Western Australia the opportunity to demonstrate their opposition to nuclear powered and armed vessels in Australian waters. She said her group was anticipating a good turn out to the rally and hoped that it would send a clear message to the Federal Government and to all nuclear navies that nuclear vessels were not welcome in our waters.

"We want the Federal Government, the French and all nuclear navies to hear us loud and clear when we say "Sod off Nuclear Subs".

The rally will hear from a range of speakers including Fremantle MP Dr Carmen Lawrence, Greens WA MP Giz Watson and representatives from Greenpeace, FANG and the Fremantle City Council.

ENDS.