Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp

Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp
Women gathering outside of the fence at Greenham Common in December 1982 in order to hold a demonstration against the cruise missiles
DateSeptember 1981 – September 2000
Location
RAF Greenham Common, Berkshire, England

51°22′18″N 1°16′41″W / 51.37167°N 1.27806°W / 51.37167; -1.27806
Caused byStorage of cruise missiles inside of RAF Greenham Common
Goals
  • Removal of cruise missiles
  • End of use of nuclear weapons
  • World peace
StatusEnded (September 2000)

Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp was a series of protest camps established to protest against nuclear weapons being placed at RAF Greenham Common in Berkshire, England. The camp began on 5 September 1981 after a Welsh group, Women for Life on Earth, arrived at Greenham to protest against the decision of the British government to allow cruise missiles to be stored there.[1][2] After realising that the march alone was not going to get them the attention that they needed to have the missiles removed, women began to stay at Greenham to continue their protest.[3] The first blockade of the base occurred in March 1982 with 250 women protesting, during which 34 arrests occurred.[4][5]

The camp was brought to a close in September 2000 to make way for the Commemorative and Historic Site on the land that housed the original Women's Peace Camp at Yellow Gate Greenham Common between the years 1981 and 2000.[6]

  1. ^ Muir, Michael (30 August 2011). "30th anniversary of foundation of Greenham Common Women's peace camp". Retrieved 3 September 2022.
  2. ^ Cortright 2008.
  3. ^ Liddington 1989, p. 230.
  4. ^ "Records of Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp (Yellow Gate)". National Archives.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference site2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Hipperson, Sarah. "Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp". Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp.