Zapping
The peace camps were subjected to electronic attack known as "zapping" which is used by the police at demonstrations in different countries.
Zapping, by Kay
Recently de-classified government documents revealed a major radioactive
contamination of the common during an accident in the 1950's leading
some people to fear that thousands of protesters may have been affected
by radiation exposure. Equally, many others have dismissed the idea,
putting the symptoms down to the stresses of constant eviction, police
and vigilante violence, lack of sleep and cold, living under 24 hour
surveillance, harrassment, security lighting and generator noise.
Many women experienced symptons of nausea, disorientation and headaches
and it's also true that documentary evidence was found within the
base detailing electronic warfare experiments, particularly microwave
weapons designed to provide a deadly protective shield around particular
areas, as well as non-lethal weapons designed to be used directly
against people. I saw and read these documents myself, and can be
certain that they originated from inside the base, but it wasn't clear
whether any of the potential weapons had actually ever been used.
It would certainly be enough evidence to justify 'regime-change' if
there were ever found great oil reserves under the common.
One thing is certain - life at camp was not generally conducive to
good health and well being. Women suffered from the cold wet conditions.Trench
foot and even frostbite was not unknown. Keeping warm was difficult
with bailiffs continually stealing firewood and blankets. At the end
of each 'eviction' the police triumphantly extinguished the camp fire,
which was immediately relighted for the post-eviction cupper.
Elizabeth, by michelle
When I hear "zapping" I remember Elizabeth.
She used to hang around camp wanting to check if we were alright.
She'd take your wrist, turn it towards the sky, hang her pendulum
over it, and then watch its mysterious movements. The pendulum would
start going clockwise and then the other way round, following some
patterns Elizabeth knew how to interpret. It would always surprise
me how it moved. But then, whether the diagnosis was "Your being
zapped" or not, it didn't make much difference for me, for what
could I do? I wouldn't leave camp for that. Still it was good someone
cared about those things. Elizabeth had written lots about it. I still
keep her chapbooks and if we found her, perhaps we could copy some
of its contents here.
The thing with zapping is that it makes you feel dizzy, it alters
your period, too. And I heard governments use it illegally at demos,
to disperse people, but I have no evidence on that, of course.
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