Grandmothers held under terror laws

Two grandmothers have been arrested under the Government's latest anti-terror legislation.

Helen John, 68, and Sylvia Boyes, 61, both from Yorkshire, were arrested by officers acting under the new Serious Organised Crime and Police Act while protesting outside the United States military base, RAF Menwith Hill, in North Yorkshire.

The women told the Independent that they were protesting against the act, which has designated some Ministry of Defence sites as subject to criminal trespass.

Mrs Boyes said: "I am quite willing to break the law and prepared to be charged and go to prison. The Government thinks it can do whatever it wants and that it has a passive public which accepts whatever it throws at it. I find it very worrying."