XR UK press office: +44(0)7756136396 | press@extinctionrebellion.uk

Action photos | Lakenheath Peace Camp photos and videos

At 9:30am this morning, twelve women, intersex, non-binary and trans activists – aged from 24 to 91 – held a topless blockade of the main gate of RAF Lakenheath, denouncing the deadly entanglements between military emissions, climate destruction, authoritarianism and genocide.

Standing with their mouths taped shut to symbolise the silencing of women/FINT folk’s voices, the rebels also had chains binding their wrists to reflect how they are bound by the structures created by men for profit. Their bodies were painted with the words “Violence,” “Displacement,” “Brutality,” “Exploitation,” “Silencing” and “Oppression” as they stood hand in hand forming a powerful image blockading the vast military complex. Three of the activists have been arrested for “indecent exposure”.

War and climate change are both strongly linked to gender-based violence around the world [1,2,3,4]. Evidence shows climate change and conflict are deeply entwined, each contributing to the other in a vicious cycle [5,6].

Lucy Porter, a local resident who took part in the action said: “Women, trans, non-binary, and intersex people are hit hardest by climate change, war, and rising fascism. They often struggle to access food, water, and healthcare, and face a higher risk of violence and displacement during crises. These groups are rarely included in decision-making, and emergency aid often overlooks their needs. At the same time, they are increasingly targeted by far-right groups and media. These patterns aren’t random – they come from systems built on patriarchy and power that value control over care.”

The action is held on the penultimate day of the two-week Lakenheath Peace Camp [7] which has seen activists from near 60 groups [8] across the UK protesting the return of US nuclear weapons to USAF Lakenheath. 

The camp ends tomorrow with a mass blockade which will shine a spotlight on the UK government’s ongoing cover-up of plans for US nuclear weapons deployment to Britain as exposed earlier this month by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. [9] 

As the world teeters on the edge of political breakdown and  irreversible climate breakdown, these protesters are calling for urgent demilitarisation, an end to imperialist warfare, and real, intersectional climate justice rooted in global solidarity.

Today’s action was a collaboration between a number of groups including XR UK and XR Cymru.

QUOTES FROM PARTICIPANTS

Chrissy Jenkins, a carer from Cwmbran, who was arrested for taking part in the action, said: “When so many people are seeing the impact of food insecurity, housing shortages, global warming, and the biodiversity crisis, it is an absurdity that everyday working people’s taxes are being spent on the murder of innocents and the further destruction of land which could provide food, housing and space for nature to thrive. 

“As an auntie and a carer, I cannot stand by and watch the military and fossil fuel industrial complex put profits over people. I have watched in horror the UK and US’s participation in war crimes and genocide in Gaza. Can we not evolve beyond this brutality? I believe we can.

“I am here to make a stand for the most vulnerable in our world, the children, the elderly, women, non-binary, trans, intersex and working class people. These are the people who will be most affected and they deserve our protection.”

Tez Burns, 36, action participant from Swansea said: “I’m joining the Can’t Bare The Harm demonstration because the manufacture and use of weapons leads to increased carbon emissions, making the climate crisis worse and degrading and destroying the lives of those of us who are vulnerable.

“I’m topless because I want to show how vulnerable I, a non-binary assigned female at birth (afab) person, am right now in this present moment. Imagine in a war zone, if I had no shelter or protection, how open to harm myself and all other women and afab people are? I’m topless so you can witness my vulnerability and relate. How would you feel? People are defenseless right now, because we insist on business as usual, when we need to ‘break the chain’.”

Cristina Trujillo, journalist and action participant from London said: “I feel ill to think how the US and UK have orchestrated the bombing of Iran, Afghanistan, Syria, Serbia and now Palestine out of the beautiful UK countryside, having stored and dropped over 500 bombs on Syria alone. The loss of life, livelihoods, and permanent physical disabling of women and children are hard for people to connect with the beauty of Suffolk.

“But this is not an innocent field, or even the RAF, it’s the US Air Force, and they are preparing to bring nuclear weapons back to the UK. This keeps no one safe, least of all the UK. Accidents have happened with weapons at Lakenheath before [8] and they can happen again.

“But the bigger tragedy is far worse than an accident, it is happening on purpose and it is the military actions that we pay for in the UK that destroy planet and people. The US military is the single largest user of fossil fuels on the planet, and a nuclear arms race is almost as great a threat as that.”

“What is happening at ‘RAF Lakenheath’ makes no sense for anyone, and in solidarity with those affected by the violence of RAF and USAF Lakenheath I would sacrifice the safety that clothing brings me to be bare-chested in front of the whole world if it gets people to pay attention and demand the US keep nuclear weapons out of Lakenheath.”

For media inquiries or to arrange interviews, contact: 

+44(0)7756136396 | press@extinctionrebellion.uk

More info and updates on the Lakenheath Peace Camp: https://lakenheathallianceforpeace.org.uk/the-camp-2025/ 

Notes for Editors

[1]https://www.sddirect.org.uk/blog-article/climate-change-and-gender-based-violence-gbv-what-are-issues-and-what-can-we-do-about

[2]https://www.un.org/sexualviolenceinconflict/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/report/role-of-climate-change-in-exacerbating-sexual-and-gender-based-violence-against-women-a-new-challenge-for-international-law/epl_2021_51-3_epl-51-3-epl210055_epl-51-epl210055.pdf

[3]https://unric.org/en/women-and-girls-are-disproportionately-affected-by-conflict-related-sexual-violence/ 

[4]https://www.actionaid.org.uk/latest-news/report-links-climate-crisis#:~:text=The%20report%20found%20that%3A,to%20climate%20change%20or%20conflict. 

[5] https://unfccc.int/news/conflict-and-climate 

[6] https://extinctionrebellion.uk/2024/03/18/what-has-conflict-got-to-do-with-the-climate-and-ecological-crisis/ 

[7] https://lakenheathallianceforpeace.org.uk/

[8] https://lakenheathallianceforpeace.org.uk/front-page/about-us/alliance-organisations/

[9] https://cnduk.org/cnd-shines-spotlight-on-nuclear-cover-up-of-us-bombs-in-britain-with-blockade-of-raf-lakenheath-26-april/

[10] [8] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Lakenheath_nuclear_weapons_accidents

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Time has almost entirely run out to address the climate and ecological crisis which is upon us, including the sixth mass species extinction, global pollution, and increasingly rapid climate change. If urgent and radical action isn’t taken, we’re heading towards 4˚C warming, leading to societal collapse and mass loss of life. The younger generation, racially marginalised communities and the Global South are on the frontline. No one will escape the devastating impacts.