LANL 6 Activists Face Trial Over Hiroshima Day Civil Disobedience

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 9th 2013 – 9:00 AM
Los Alamos Municipal Courthouse
2500 Trinity Dr. Los Alamos, NM

Six activists will stand trial on January 9th at 9 AM in the Los Alamos Municipal Court. They face three changes each as part of their rush-hour blockade of LANL’s entrance on the morning of August 6th, 2012, the 67th anniversary of the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima: a crime which killed over 150,000 people, with a weapon born in Los Alamos.

In response to their civil disobedience, Dr. Catherine Euler, Pamela Gilchrist, Cathie Sullivan, Barbara Grothus, Janet Greenwald, and Summer Abbott were all arrested and charged with Trespass, Disobeying a Police Officer, and Obstructing Movement, which carry penalties of up to 179 days in prison and $1,500 in fines. The six have stated they will not pay fines which support the military-industrial complex. If imprisoned, a number of them also plan to hunger strike while behind bars.

This comes even as LANL continues making plutonium pits for more nuclear bombs, in violation of international law and fundamental morality. The lab’s actions further nuclear warfare, and continue to leach radioactive toxins into the land & water of indigenous peoples and all New Mexicans.

Furthermore, presiding Judge Alan Kirk was formerly Chief of the Los Alamos Police Department, and has personal relationships with some of the testifying officers. Despite this obvious conflict of interest, the LANL 6’s requests to have Judge Kirk replaced, or even for a jury trial, have been refused.

The August 6th LANL actions were organized by (un)Occupy Albuquerque and Nuke Free Now, an offshoot of Occupy Santa Fe committed to sustainable, nuclear-free communities.

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