19 protesters against Henoko relocation constrained: 84-year-old woman injured

November 21, 2014 Ryukyu Shimpo

Offshore construction work for the relocation of U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma to the Henoko district of Nago resumed on November 20. The Okinawa Prefectural Police riot squad and the Japan Coast Guard have beefed up security in the marine area and in front of the Camp Schwab gate, for the planned construction. They forcibly removed citizens protesting. In the struggle between riot police and citizens, an 84-year-old woman who is living in Henoko and taking part in the sit-protest, hit the ground, injuring her head.

Members of the Japan Coast Guard constrained 19 protesters, who were protesting
from canoes. They were temporarily placed on the agency’s inflatable rafts.

In front of the gate, police members interrupted the Ryukyu Shimpo reporter
from reporting on the scene.

Sit-in members prevented trucks loaded with construction materials from entering the gate by sitting down on the road in front of the gate in order to stop the
construction of a makeshift bridge.

The clash between protesters and officers continued while riot squad members were
dragging citizens from the scene.

Hiroji Yamashiro, the director of the Okinawa Peace Movement Center, said, “We will not allow any of the trucks to enter the gate. If the Japanese government intends to force through the Henoko landfill, we will shut down military base operations by stopping the U.S military vehicles from entering the gate.”

(English translation by T&CT)

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