No Nukes for Perth The street lights were still on when I struggled out to the car at 5.45am on May 1st, 1992. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes and trying desperately to focus on what I was about to do, I drove down to Fremantle. Just the week before, Fremantle Port was visited by three U.S. warships capable of carrying nuclear weapons. There had been little notice taken of their arrival by the peace movement in Perth and it seemed that no opposition to their arrival was going to happen. Even the sailors were confused, two of them told a friend of mine who was busking at the Fremantle Markets, "We were wondering where all the peaceniks were!" I was dismayed and angered at the response these ships received from the general public, people visiting the ships and inspecting them, nightclubs in Fremantle and Perth sending down free passes to sailors (who had not been in a port for three months) and rubbing their hands together at the money the sailors would spend. Being a relative newcomer to Perth, I was a little unsure about what action should be taken. Talking to the coordinator of People for Nuclear Disarmament, we decided to call a meeting to organise an action to protest the arrival of two more ships due on May 2nd or 3rd. The response was very disappointing, five people turned up and the meeting went round and round with no concrete plans being made. Poor group process made it extremely difficult for anything constructive to eventuate. So in desperation I began networking with anyone I thought would be remotely interested and my friend Trent the busker, did some very effective informal networking. In the week after the meeting I found out there had not been an action opposing a nuclear armed or powered ship for approximately five years. The peace fleet network was basically redundant and people were concerned that these ships were still coming in, but most were too busy to become involved. Nevertheless a second meeting was organised for Thursday, 30th of April. I went along to the meeting not expecting many people, but deciding that I really wanted to voice my opposition in any way I knew how. My uncertainties were unfounded because twenty-six people turned up to the meeting. Once again the meeting was difficult, there was only one person who had blockaded a warship before, although four of us had considerable experience in blockading timber ships. There were basically only two of us who had information about what type of ship it was, when it was arriving, etc. This information was disseminated quickly and plans for a water-based blockade of the U.S.S. Bunker Hill and U.S.S. Thach, a guided missile cruiser, began to unfold. Two members of the group had previously organised kayaks and canoes and offered to transport these down to the place of action. Other members of the group expressed interest in chaining their bodies to the wharf, to prevent the ship from docking and one had already prepared balloons filled with red paint! It was finally decided, after considerable discussion, that a water-based blockade would be the primary action. Many felt our numbers were just too small to offer sufficient support to other people wanting to do alternative actions. So logistics were organised, a timeline drawn up, a list of ideas to be used for the media release compiled and a person organised to inform the police of what was going to happen. The next morning, a very small group gathered where we were going to practice paddling the kayaks. Some had never been in a kayak before, so it was important they had at least some experience. A phone call was made to the Port Authority and we were informed that the ships were running an hour late. The group shifted position to Bather's Beach, usually a sedate beach with very little swell. Of course, just the day we want to blockade a warship, the waves would have to be crashing into the beach. After a very quick lesson on how to step into a kayak and what to do if the kayak capsizes, six very brave activists paddled 1.5-2kms out to the harbour. Meanwhile the police were keeping a very close eye on all of us. They issued some very clear warnings as to where we could and couldn't go. Historically, the West Australian police force have been a very reactionary group and in the past, groups that have attempted water-based protests have been treated quite unfairly and, on occasions, quite violently. I was very aware of keeping an open and honest policy with the police throughout the entire action. Their initial response, when they were first informed about what we were going to do, basically set the tone for the day. They were wary about what we would do because they had no previous experience with us, so it was extremely important for us to be honest and not to create any mystique or fear in our interactions with them. The dynamic that emerged was quite interesting. The police were very surprised that we were going to do an action, I think mainly because it had been such a long time since a water-based action had occurred. In fact a senior sergeant who was working with the water police, actually visited my house in the hope of persuading me not to do the proposed action. He even offered to organise publicity with the media if we opted not to do the water-based action; an unfamiliar tactic to me. Perhaps I should have taken up his offer, as this would have allowed the police to become more involved in the action itself. Nevertheless the police were quite relaxed during the course of the action, several of us managed to have reasonable conversations with them and there was certainly no antagonism between us. By the time the paddlers reached the point where they would blockade the incoming U.S.S. Thach, the U.S.S. Bunker Hill had already docked and was being greeted by a large group of people. At this point three members of the group entered the water on surfboards, complete with a blow-up balloon of the world and two rainbow flags. These activists paddled their way towards the ship, also hoping to blockade. We circled around waiting for the ship, whilst being constantly warned by police that being in the area was against the law. Eventually the police had enough and dragged the three of us into their boats, just in time to watch the U.S.S. Thach sail by. The police officers demonstrated they always have a choice, because we weren't arrested. Also present, on a ship docked at Victoria Quay, were a small group of people who work for Greenpeace as canvassers. Frustrated because they were told by the hierarchy members in Sydney that they could not protest against the ships, they decided to dive into the harbour and blockade the incoming U.S.S. Thach. These eight people were immediately arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, which indicates the power of disciplined and focused nonviolent actions. One of the people arrested, commented to me that he felt personally empowered to act. Eventually members of our group began the long paddle home, came out of the water and gathered to evaluate the action. Media coverage that night on the television was extensive. However it didn't accurately portray the way we perceived the conflict. This highlighted the fact that if you want media to portray the truth, (if this is possible) then you have to be prepared to put much more energy into media liaison. It appeared on three commercial channels, and in each instance was immediately after the Los Angeles riots. It also appeared in the West Australian newspaper the next day. In any nonviolent actions, valuable lessons are learnt, and this hastily prepared action was certainly no exception. I think that the most major concern for me was safety. The activists in the kayaks had very little experience and although there were no accidents, the lack of safety was a real concern. There is consolation in the fact that two Perth based activists with considerable experience in kayaking, swimming and surfing have offered to facilitate a workshop on water-based actions. I will also be facilitating and will attempt to construct a strategic plan for continued water-based actions. The other major concern was the lack of networking, always a problem with any action. The two or three activists who largely organised the action were also left to network. However Shane, from People For Nuclear Disarmament, is currently organising a telephone tree we can call upon at any time. Furthermore considerable time and energy is being put into establishing a Peace Fleet, to operate whenever we hear a nuclear-powered or nuclear-capable ship is coming into port. It is hoped that this group will incorporate activists from other groups in Perth. Finally, as an activist accustomed to organising with Melbourne-based nonviolent activists, who have an excellent understanding of the dynamics of an effective nonviolent action, I learnt that this understanding is not universal. It became clear there was much I could teach about the dynamics and principles underpinning effective nonviolent action. If any of the Perth-based readers want to get involved with the Peace Fleet or attend a workshop on nonviolent politics, please contact me. Bernadette McCartney 203 Riseley St. Booragoon, West Australia 6154. (09) 364 9569