Monthly Archive for March, 2014

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London priest and Catholic Worker gets 28 day sentence for non-payment of fines

Posted on March 17, 2014
photo by London Catholic Worker

photo by London Catholic Worker

Fr. Martin Newell of the London Catholic Worker was arrested on March 14 after writing on the walls of the Ministry of Defence in London with charcoal.  “Choose Life, No Trident, says God”, he wrote, and “ God is Peace”.

The next day, the Catholic priest appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court.  He refused to pay fines of £565 he owes from various peace and anti-nuclear actions over the past few years, stating reasons of faith and conscience.  The judge said he had no option but to sentence Newell to 28 days in prison.

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34 arrests at Nevada nuclear test site/National Security Site

Posted on March 17, 2014
photo by Mike Wisniewski

photo by Mike Wisniewski

from the Nuclear Resister

Over the first weekend in March, about 60 people took part in the 8th annual gathering of the Pacific Life Community (PLC).  This year the group met at the Las Vegas Catholic Worker.

The PLC is largely comprised of peace activists motivated strongly by their religious faith to engage in and support civil resistance at locations across the American west involved in preparation for nuclear war. Many are part of the Catholic Worker movement. This year, attendees ranging in age from their 20s into their 80s came from Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado and even Maine and New York to break bread with, protest with, learn from and support each other.

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Buy a sub! Help support peace prisoners

Posted on March 13, 2014
MacGregor Eddy writing to imprisoned activists during a train trip

MacGregor Eddy writing to imprisoned activists during a train trip

 

No, not a submarine, but a subscription — to the Nuclear Resister newsletter,
a chronicle of nonviolent resistance to war and the nuclear threat, and a
“Chronicle of Hope” that has supported imprisoned activists since 1980.

Nuclear Resister supporter MacGregor Eddy has set a goal to enroll 100 new subscribers by December 1, 2014 – International Prisoners for Peace Day.

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Two arrested on Ash Wednesday at Vandenberg Air Force Base, one week after Supreme Court ruling

Posted on March 6, 2014

from the Santa Maria Times

by Janene Scully

A week after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that military commanders can decide who can be on their installations, activist Dennis Apel and another protester were arrested again for trespassing at Vandenberg Air Force Base.

Apel of Santa Maria and another longtime activist, Father Steve Kelly from the Bay Area, were detained by security forces members shortly after the protest began in front of Vandenberg on Wednesday afternoon.

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Ash Wednesday arrest at Ministry of Defence in London

Posted on March 6, 2014
photo by London Catholic Worker

photo by London Catholic Worker

from Pax Christi UK

For 32 years Christians have gathered at the Ministry of Defence in London on Ash Wednesday to call on the government to repent and move away from nuclear war preparations.   Members of Pax Christi, the London Catholic Worker and Christian CND from around the country gathered to pray and take part in symbolic acts of repentance and peacemaking as they processed, with three prayer stops, around the Ministry of Defence building.

During the March 5 procession, the MOD building was marked with crosses using charcoal and ash blessed at the beginning of the service.  Those marking were Dr. Ray Towey, Fr. Martin Newell and Scott Albrecht.  Scott was the only person to be detained by the police.

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Five arrested at Beale drone base on Ash Wednesday

Posted on March 5, 2014
photo by Janie Kesselman

photo by Janie Kesselman

Five people – including members of the clergy and veterans – were arrested during an Ash Wednesday service around 8 a.m. today, March 5, at the gates of  Beale Air Force Base, site of the surveillance drone Global Hawk.

Participants, who were charged with trespassing, said they risked arrest to memorialize the children killed by the U.S. government’s fleet of killer drones. Beale’s drones perform reconnaissance work for U.S. Predator drones.

The demonstrators spread ashes memorializing those of children killed by U.S. drones overseas.

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