Leader of group arrested for trespassing into Schwab

Hiroji Yamashiro, the chairman of the Okinawa Heiwa Undou Center (Okinawa Peace Movement Center), a group opposing construction work at Henoko, was arrested on suspicion of trespassing into Camp Schwab, Saturday.

According to Nago Police, Yamashiro is accused of crossing a yellow line painted on the road in front of the main gate of Camp Schwab that marks the base boundary, and thus trespassing into the base. Yamashiro is denying any wrongdoing.

Yamashiro is one of the leaders of the on-going protests against the land reclamation and construction of the facility off Henoko. He was in front of Camp Schwab’s main gate in front of other protesters before being arrested.

Police had arrested two protesters earlier on the same day, and Yamashiro is accused of stepping inside the base to protest the arrests. The two were arrested on suspicion of obstructing officials in their duties in a scuffle with riot police. The scuffle had erupted when he protesters tried to block the entrance to the base.

Yamashiro was arrested previously in February on similar charge, but was later released.

00:00 29 Mar , 2024