Politics

PRINCIPALITY OF SEALAND A PLATFORM OFFSHORE DESPITE BRITISH GOVERNEMENT

EXISTS IN INTERNATIONAL WATERS


(Source: Sealand)
(Source: Sealand)
USPA NEWS - The Principality of Sealand started as an offshore anti-aircraft platform called «HM Fort Roughts» placed in a British Shipping lane during the World War II to fend off German mine laying aircraft...
The Principality of Sealand started as an offshore anti-aircraft platform called "HM Fort Roughts" or the "Rough Towers"and was "the first of originally four naval forts designed by G. Maunsell to protect the Thames Estuary." British government official entities used Roughs Tower for a variety of purposes until 1956 when all full-time personnel were finally removed.
In 1966 Paddy Roy Bates, who operated Radio Essex, and Ronan O'Rahilly, who operated Radio Caroline, landed on Fort Roughs and occupied it. However, after disagreements, Roy Bates seized the tower as his own. O'Rahilly attempted to storm the fort in 1967, but Roy Bates defended the fort with guns and petrol bombs and continued to occupy the fort. The British Royal Marines went on alert and the British Authorities ordered Roy Bates to surrender. In his refusal, Roy Bates founded the Principality of Sealand on 2 September 1967.
Source: Sealand
Source: Sealand
Source: Sealand
On the Principality Website the history has its importance :

"During the Second World War the British government built several Fortress islands in the North Sea to defend its coasts from German invaders. These forts were built illegally in international waters..."

"...The forts were abandoned in the early 1950´s and whilst built in international waters in a time of world crisis, they should have been pulled down to comply with international law. Except for the aforementioned fortress, the fortresses were subsequently pulled down...
...This resulted in the portentous uniqueness of the fortress. Fort Roughs Tower, situated at the high seas, had been deserted and abandoned, res derelicta and terra nullius. From a legal point of view, it therefore constituted extra-national territory..."

"...Roy smarting from a legal battle with the British government over his offshore radio station “Radio Essex“ which had broadcast from another abandoned fortress that was found by the British courts to be within UK jurisdiction. These stations were known affectionately by the press as “Pirate“ radio stations and were much loved by the British public as they supplied everything that the BBC did not at the time, Pop music and amusing presenters..."
"...It was not long before the British Government decided they could not have what ministers described as a possible Cuba off the east coast of England. They sent the military out to destroy other forts that were left in international waters..."

"...Sealand was founded as a sovereign Principality in 1967 in international waters, six miles off the eastern shores of Britain. The history of Sealand is a story of a struggle for liberty...
...Sealand was founded on the principle that any group of people dissatisfied with the oppressive laws and restrictions of existing nation states may declare independence in any place not claimed to be under the jurisdiction of another sovereign entity. The location chosen was Roughs Tower, an island fortress created in World War II by Britain and subsequently abandoned to the jurisdiction of the High Seas..."
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