 Nevada Test Site protest, May 28, 2006 |
Although Divine Strake had been delayed indefinitely, more than 200 people demonstrated outside the Nevada Test Site May 28 against the test explosion and what the protesters say is a violation of a treaty with the Western Shoshone. More than 30 were arrested when they crossed over onto the site in an act of civil disobedience.
A broad coalition of indigenous, environmental, anti-nuke and anti-war groups, including ANSWER Reno, organized the protest. In neighboring states protests and signature gathering opposing the explosion were planned for the same day as part of an “International Day of Action.” In April an environmental lawsuit was filed on behalf of the Winnemucca Indian Colony and several Nevada and Utah “downwinders.”
On May 26, faced with the planned protests and legal challenge, the National Nuclear Security Agency (NNSA) announced that it was withdrawing its previous “Finding of No Significant Impact” for the massive high explosive test. The NNSA press release mentioned no new date for the test. The press release failed to mention that Divine Strake would occur at a test range where the United States conducted the vast majority of its nuclear tests—100 aboveground and more than 800 underground.
