Anti-war protesters at RAF Fairford say it shouldn't be used by US

A group of protesters gathered outside RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire to voice their opposition to the base’s use by US forces for strikes against Iran. The demonstration came amid ongoing military actions in the region, with the US and Israel having launched attacks on Iranian targets over the past week. In response, Iran has carried out retaliatory strikes across several countries, including Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Iraq, and even impacting an RAF base in Cyprus.

Among those protesting were local residents Liz Maison Pierre and Lorna Dixon, who expressed concerns about the public’s uncritical support for military action. They emphasized the need for political leaders to reconsider the use of UK bases for such operations. “Starmer needs to stand up and say, ‘No, don’t use our bases’,” they stated, referring to the approval by the UK’s opposition leader for the use of British bases in “defensive” US actions targeting Iranian missile sites. Chris Cole from Drone Wars UK also took part, underscoring the importance of public dissent. “It’s important people stand up and say no to what’s going on. We’re out here to say on behalf of the public that we disagree with this,” he commented.

On the other side, a smaller contingent attended the protest to support the UK military’s involvement, with Nick Franklin of Patriots! Stand Up Gloucestershire emphasizing the need to back armed forces despite the desire to avoid war. Franklin urged opponents of the military presence to “grow up” and get behind those serving. He highlighted a belief that the conflict involving the US and Israel would ultimately be detrimental to the Iranian people, yet stressed resilience and national pride in support of the troops.

Throughout the protest, Gloucestershire Constabulary maintained a presence to facilitate peaceful demonstration. The heightened tensions followed declarations from President Trump promising to strike Iran “very hard,” with the US military reportedly considering additional targets. At the same time, Iran’s ambassador to the UK remarked on a “willingness” to avoid attacks on neighbouring countries but affirmed Iran’s commitment to self-defense in the unfolding conflict

Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More