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August 09, 2005
Actor Martin Sheen held at no-nukes protest
CBC Arts
Actor Martin Sheen, known for playing fictional U.S. president Josiah Bartlet on The West Wing, was detained on the weekend for his part in a protest that commemorated the bombing of Hiroshima.
Sheen was released Sunday after being taken into custody on the fringes of the Nevada Test Site.
Along with about 180 other protesters, Sheen was issued a citation for trespassing after crossing police lines Saturday to step onto the desolate outdoor range.
The protest marked the 60th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima during the Second World War.
The Nevada Test Site was used by the U.S. government for decades as a proving ground for nuclear weapons.
Before agreeing to appear in NBC's White House drama as the Liberal Democrat Bartlet, Sheen carved out a career in features such as Apocalypse Now and Wall Street.
He is also known as an outspoken peace activist, and has used his star power to champion a number of other causes. He garnered headlines in 2003 for speaking out against the impending U.S. invasion of Iraq.
The protest in Nevada was one of a number that took place around the world on Saturday.
Other events were also held to mark the bombing, including a concert last week in Hiroshima, headlined by guitarist Carlos Santana.
The destruction of Hiroshima was the first time in the history of warfare that an atomic bomb had been used. A second was dropped in Nagasaki on Aug. 9, 1945, bringing the war to an end.
According to a spokesperson for the test site, authorities in Nevada's Nye County won't pursue in court the citations that were issued on the weekend.
Posted by Jo at August 9, 2005 07:06 PM