Town braced for demonstration (From Witney Gazette)

Town braced for demonstration

9:26am Saturday 2nd December 2006 in Witney By Rosalind Miles

HUNDREDS of peace protesters are expected to march through Carterton today.

Up to 1,500 peace activists from CND, Stop the War, and Greenpeace are expected to converge on the town.

They are to march up Brize Norton Road, lay flowers at the RAF camp entrance, and go on to Alvescot recreation ground. The protesters have paid a deposit to the town council in case any damage is done to the recreation ground.

Traders fear the demonstration could affect trading in the vital run-up to Christmas.

Phil Scott, town mayor and Chamber of Trade chairman, said: "It'll disrupt the town right before Christmas, and traders are worried it'll frighten people from coming into town to shop. But the way the protesters have gone about it has been very amicable, and we are working together to make sure it goes off all right.

Kate Hudson, chairman of CND, said: "Many troops are flown from RAF Brize Norton to Iraq, that is why we felt Carterton was an appropriate place to make a protest."