On September 5, 1981, women arrived at Greenham Common, a Royal Air Force base in Berkshire, England. They were protesting the decision to place American nuclear cruise missiles there. What started as a small group of women marching soon became a permanent camp.
The Greenham Common Women’s Peace Camp was unique because it was led and maintained by women. It quickly grew into an international symbol of both anti-nuclear protest and women’s activism. The women at the camp organized blockades, demonstrations, and creative protests like weaving webs of yarn across the base’s fences. They faced harsh conditions, arrests, and criticism, but their presence brought global attention to nuclear weapons and women’s rights.
The camp lasted for almost 20 years, finally closing in 2000 after the missiles were removed and the Cold War ended. More than a protest site, Greenham Common became a training ground for activism, showing how women could use non-violent action to challenge war and militarism. It also inspired later feminist and peace movements around the world.