APRIL 3: PEACE protesters have accused police patrolling RAF Fairford of being petty.
Gloucestershire Police are working with officers from the Ministry of Defence and the US Air Force Security Police to guard the 14 American B-52 bombers stationed at the base for the Iraq war.
Police have closed several roads around the base and have been searching visitors to a peace camp near Gate 10.
Protesters say that much-needed cooking and camping equipment was not allowed through the checkpoints on one occasion.
Dave Cockcroft, spokesman for the group which calls itself the Gloucestershire Weapons Inspectors, said: "They are letting through food and water but equipment which was needed during the heavy rain on Monday evening was stopped.
"We are now in discussion with the police about this. It remains a peaceful protest."
A spokeswoman for Gloucestershire Police said: "Road closures are in effect around Fairford both for security and public safety. This is following security measures taken after protests on March 22."
Special powers were invoked under the 1994 Criminal Justice Act to stop and search anyone within a mile of the Fairford perimeter fence following the arrival of the bombers a month ago.
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