On August 9, 1998, on the 53rd anniversary of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, nine people took part in a small act of courage and conscience at the gates of Bangor.

The nine carefully carried a full-size model of a D-5 missile--44 feet long and almost 7 feet in diameter--across the incoming lanes of traffic that lead to the main gate of Bangor, stopping traffic. The D-5 model, constructed of white plastic, giant "hula hoops" of plastic tubing, and plenty of duct tape, was carried like a huge Chinese New Year’s "dragon," with the nine holding it up from inside. On one side of the D-5 model was written "One D-5 costs $53,000,000." On the other side was written "One D-5 could kill 7,460,000 people."

After stretching out the 44-foot long D-5 model across the road, the nine made the D-5 literally fall apart--collapsing it, deflating it, and letting it fall into a hollow pile of wreckage. The nine then jubilantly emerged out from the remains of the fallen missile, each holding sunflowers, which are the international symbol for nuclear abolition, and stood in the roadway. As they stood, and then sat, across the road leading to Bangor, they conscientiously halted "business as usual" onto the Bangor Trident base, and took a courageous stand on behalf of international law, religious belief, and simple moral decency.

After sitting in the road for a few moments, waiting Sheriff’s deputies approached each of the nine one-by-one and informed each that they would be arrested for disorderly conduct if they did not get out of the road. Each of the nine respectfully stated that, for reasons of conscience, they would not voluntarily remove themselves from the road. Each one was then arrested, escorted to waiting Sheriff’s cars, handcuffed, and taken to the Silverdale Sheriff’s office to be processed.

Eight of the nine agreed to return to a future court date on their own recognizance and were released. The ninth, Joe Gump from Michigan, refused personal recognizance and was taken to the Kitsap County Jail in Pt. Orchard. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment the following day, refused both bail and personal recognizance again, and requested only a speedy trial. A few days later at a bench trial before District Court Judge Olson, Gump made an articulate and heart-felt statement why he felt compelled to block the road to Bangor, citing the Nuremberg Principles as reason for his innocence. Judge Olson sentenced Gump to 90 days in jail with 85 suspended, and to a $1000 fine, also suspended, and imposed a no contact order with the Bangor base.

Today, October 6, 1998, the other eight who were arrested for disorderly conduct have a pre-trial hearing. The eight have all pleaded not guilty to the charge of disorderly conduct, and will make motions for dismissal today based on international law, religious belief, moral conscience, First Amendment rights, and necessity. They hope to receive a jury trial sometime this fall, at which they can make their case that they acted lawfully on August 9, 1998 when they nonviolently blocked the road to Bangor. Each of the eight faces 90 days in jail and a $1000 fine if they are convicted.

Those who blocked the road to Bangor on August 9, 1998, and who are now facing time behind bars, acted for many deeply-held, personal reasons. Each, though, acted on behalf of some basic belief that the work that goes on at Bangor--namely the maintenance and deploying of Trident submarines and missiles--is fundamentally wrong. They each believe, and acted on the belief, that Trident, in its ability to cause cataclysmic nuclear holocaust, is immoral, according to simple moral norms against harming and killing other people, and illegal, according to a wide and established body of law prohibiting crimes against humanity. They believe that humans should not threaten each other with such violence. They believe that there are better ways to solve problems than to risk incinerating the world and all its creatures. At the most basic level, though, they believe that the nonviolent acts of conscience and courage they carried out are their responsibility and duty. As their conscience goes on trial, and as they prepare to suffer jail time and fines for their conscience, they hope that their actions inspire others to ask questions about the morality and legality of Trident.