11 Marchers Cited for Trespassing in Lenten Anti-Nuclear Protests

Eleven protesters were cited for trespassing Monday at the Nevada Test Site where anti-nuclear demonstrators escalated what organizers call a religious-oriented Lenten Desert Experience. The event began Ash Wednesday and concludes Easter Sunday.

More than 40 demonstrators paraded near the entrance to the nation’s nuclear weapons testing center Monday morning. Protesters started gathering at 6:30 a.m. and had cleared the area by 11 a.m. Officials said the demonstration was peaceful.

A total of 130 people have been cited for trespassing at the test site in four days, including 75 people on Palm Sunday and 44 demonstrators Friday.

The Lenten Desert Experience, sponsored by the Nevada Desert Experience, is an annual demonstration in protest of nuclear weapons and nuclear weapons testing. The event is now in its eighth year.

Organizers said demonstrators will be at the test site every day this week as the protest escalates during Holy Week.

Department of Energy spokesman Jim Boyer said all citations issued in the past several days have been for simple trespassing. Demonstrators are not required to make court appearances, but the citations become part of the public record at Justice Court in Beatty, Nev.