Dear Friend,
Here is what we have been up to this Lent!
After moments of prayer and reflection, under the beautiful, sparkling blue spring sky, Ray, Dan and Carmel approached the front entrance of the Ministry of Defence in London on April 2.
It was unguarded, with only a trickle of workers entering and leaving. Ray climbed the steps and onto the plinth under the sign labelling the building.
He wrote everything he had planned to write in charcoal under the mark of a cross. “Trident is genocide, choose life not terror”.
He stood with his arms out and palms open indicating his non-violence and waited.
Three bemused young men stopped and one asked to take a picture with Ray for the project he was working on. Ray told this man to not climb the steps as it would put him at risk of arrest.
After a few minutes a group of three heavily armed MoD police officers swiftly approached. “Good afternoon Mr Towey!” called the lady officer whom we have encountered on previous days of marking the building.
More MoD officers arrived and we waited to see the outcome.
Another man stopped and asked what was happening. He was Russian from Moscow. Dan asked him what would happen if a similar protest were to take place in Russia. “We know what would happen – one can only imagine,” he said: governments are the problem it isn’t the people. Dan noted that Putin seems to regularly talk about using nuclear weapons; He replied: but we have to, in order to defend ourselves! And then off he went.
Ray was thoroughly searched and relieved of his possessions.
He was cautioned and arrested for criminal damage. Over the past several years he was either not arrested or arrested and then de-arrested for doing this witness. It leaves us to wonder what the change in policy is and why now.
There was a time of waiting for the transport to arrive to convey Ray to Charing Cross Police Station, a short walk away. Ray offered to walk but that was against regulations! (As was explained to Dan several years ago: To protect the dignity of the prisoner.)
After some time of waiting in the cold wind that is always present in front of that building, the van arrived and three new officers locked Ray into the safety of the armoured vehicle.
At the police station Ray was fingerprinted, photographed, DNA tested and his phone examined, and was then locked in a cell for some hours. He was offered food and drink frequently and after about 5 hours was given a formal and recorded interview by one Met officer. The MoD police did not interview him. He stated that he did not deny the marking of the wall but that it was a Christian witness against nuclear weapons using the Catholic Church’s symbols relating to the season of Lent. (The ashes used during Ash Wednesday Services replaced by charcoal.) The interviewing police officer was keen to release Ray if he would agree to a position relating to his contrition for the action and guilt. Ray refused to sign any document and said that his defence was the charcoal could never have caused any criminal damage and that he had legal excuse to do the marking of the wall because of the criminality of nuclear weapons and that as a Christian it was his mission to make public opposition to this prepared crime of genocide.
The interview lasted about 30 minutes and was courteous on both sides. Ray was then returned to the cells. After another two hours Ray was given a letter to attend the Court for bail conditions to be imposed. The Met police were keen that he would promise to attend the court as requested on 22 April and Ray promised to do so. The police officers were curious to find an elderly doctor in their custody and it gave Ray some minutes to explain what his motives were. One exchange after the legal formalities had concluded included if he worked with Medecins Sans Frontieres in Africa and he replied, no he doesn’t do abortions. (MSF requires their staff to do abortions.) He was pleased to be given this time to explain his motives; the police and surrounding people in the police station appeared to listen respectfully.
So after 7 hours in the Station, Ray refused to sign anything but did verbally promise to not return to the scene of the crime and mark the MoD again at that time and to attend Westminster Magistrate’s court (181 Marylebone Road) on 22 April at 2 pm. We note that the “MG4A Bail to Court – Post Charge” sheet does not mention a charge. So it looks like we will find that out on the 22nd. However at the time of the arrest Ray was cautioned and told he was being arrested for Criminal Damage. But it is possible that the CPS will not press charges.
If you are free please come to support Ray on 22 April. Or send a message of support to him, either privately or marked for publication.
In God’s blessings and peace,
Ray Towey
Carmel and Dan Martin
CPA.at.MOD@gmail.com
https://catholicpeaceaction.org