PARC Against DARC

PARC Against DARC

Predecessor	PARC - Pembrokeshire Against Radar Campaign (1989–1991)
Formation	PARC Against DARC (2024–present)
Type	Pressure group
Focus	Anti-war, peace
Headquarters	Pembrokeshire
Location	United Kingdom
Region served	United Kingdom
Website	https://www.parcagainstdarc.com/

PARC Against DARC is a campaign organisation which launched in May 2024 with the intention of stopping UK Ministry of Defence military plans to build one of three of the United States Space Force Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability (DARC) Radar installations at Cawdor Barracks, Brawdy in Pembrokeshire, west Wales. The Campaign includes some major national organisations such as CND, Stop the War Coalition, Extinction Rebellion UK and The Peace and Justice Project, as well as many local businesses as some of its official supporters.

The Campaign's predecessor; PARC (Pembrokeshire Against Radar Campaign) was originally set up in 1990 when the US Military attempted to build a similarly located Over-the-horizon radar installation on the Dewisland peninsula then. However, the PARC Campaign was so successful and achieved such strong support both locally and nationally that in 1991, John Major (the then UK Prime Minister) was forced to publicly announce cancellation of the project.

With some of the original PARC campaigners actively involved, the newly rebranded campaign PARC Against DARC held its digital launch in May 2024, with a public launch meeting taking place in Solva, near St Davids the following month in June.

2024 Campaign Launch

Digital Launch

On 29 May 2024 PARC Against DARC held their digital launch of the revamped campaign. Simultaneously launching the PARC Against DARC website, a Crowdfunder, a petition as well as their Facebook and other social media pages. The soft launch was covered in several local and national press articles in which the campaign stated that DARC, if built would be "One of the most health-hazardous, tourism-ruining, skyline blighting military installations ever proposed anywhere in the UK." Also posing the question: "When did Dewisland, Pembrokeshire or humankind ever vote for the US military to control all of space?"

Anti DARC campaigners hold up NO RADAR signs in 2024 replicating 1990 historic meeting

Public meeting

On June 27 a Public launch meeting was held at Solva Memorial Hall. It was reported that the meeting was packed to the rafters as up to 200 concerned residents attended the meeting, filling the venue to its capacity. The meeting was live-streamed and opened with the screening of a 'movie trailer style' Campaign launch video. Speeches were given highlighting the key campaign arguments against DARC which focussed on potential health dangers of the radars themselves, damage to local tourism and ecology as well as house prices. A spokesperson for CND Cymru spoke of the implications this increased militarism in Wales could result in. Attendees were urged to lobby their elected representatives at all levels of government and to get involved with the campaign. The meeting concluded with a recreation of a historic PARC meeting from the 1990s with everyone holding up 'No Radar' signs.

Public Protests

PARC Against DARC campaigners hold People's Exhibition and protests outside MOD events.

The People's Exhibition and protests at MoD Public Consultation Events

On 13 and 14 September 2024 the campaign held a series of protests outside the MOD's public consultation events in Solva and St Davids respectively. Holding a counter event themed 'The People's Exhibition' which consisted of the campaign's own information boards, DARC opponents also grilled the MOD spokespeople inside the venues, later referring to the MOD Public Engagement exercises as "PR exercise", and reported in the press saying that it had so far been a 'gross failing' in terms of their public engagement obligations under 'National Principles of Public Engagement in Wales'.

Several media outlets reported the Campaign having said that the consultation meetings had been an “Utter Shambles” where the so-called experts had given contradictory answers to the same questions, however if quizzed they would then say they “Didn’t know” or that “they couldn’t answer”. One top military officer had been asked if he would stand near one of the Radars himself and had been heard to say; “No, I wouldn’t stand next to one, that’d be like putting my head in a microwave”.

History

The original Pembrokeshire Against Radar Campaign (PARC) was formed in March 1990 with the aim of stopping a proposed Over-the-horizon radar installation which was to be sited at the former St Davids Airfield near St Davids and within the National Park, the campaign ran until April 1991, at which point the government cancelled all plans for the Radar.

Plaid Cymru 2,000 strong Rally for PARC - Western Mail July 16, 1990

A petition was handed in person to the UK Government. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, visited Haverfordwest in order to try to stem the flow of opposition to the Radar. By now the entire county and all the local papers had got behind the campaign.

Early Satire in the local letters pages

The campaign eventually became international.