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Protesters Demonstrate Against Alleged US Nukes in Germany

DPA news agency (sms)August 30, 2008

About 2,000 pacifists demonstrated without violence Saturday outside a German Air Force base where they insist 20 US nuclear weapons are stored.

https://p.dw.com/p/F7ne
Demonstrators dressed as clowns hold a sign reading "Nuclear bombs"
Protesters were carefully watched by a large police presenceImage: AP

The protesters demanded that the weapons be removed from Buechel air base in western and be scrapped. Hundreds of police kept a careful eye on the rally after some demonstrators had threatened to climb the fence and enter the fighter-bomber base.

"I never would have thought that Germany would again threaten the world by stationing US nuclear weapons here," said Horst-Eberhard Richter, a member of Germany's pacifist movement.

Neither German nor US officials have ever confirmed that the sole remaining US nuclear warheads on German soil are maintained at Buechel by a US Air Force team. Experts, however, say that this is plausible since US nuclear-weapon safety inspectors do make calls at the site.