OZ Catholic Workers Arrested Carrying Out Exorcism in Raytheon's Office

international | anti-war / imperialism | other press

Saturday April 26, 2008 03:30

by CAAT

Catholic Worker Report on this link

http://bushtelegraph.wordpress.com/2008/04/24/merchant-...eath/

Bloody protest ends in arrests
Article from: Murdoch's Courier Mail

Alex Dickinson and David Earley

April 26, 2008 12:00am

A UNIVERSITY of Queensland lecturer has been arrested after allegedly painting walls with human blood during a protest at a weapons manufacturing facility in Brisbane's East.

Lisa Bridle a part-time lecturer with the Queensland Centre for Intellectual and Developmental Disability at UQ, was one of two people arrested after the ritual in the lobby of Raytheon Australia at Murarrie on Thursday.

Several people from the protest group Christians Against ALL Terrorism entered the building about 10am before lighting candles and placing a crucifix on a stand.

They allegedly chanted an exorcism prayer as they painted a cross on a door with human blood and posted photographs of human corpses on the walls.

Raytheon produces guided missiles. Its arsenal includes the Tomahawk cruise missile and the portable Javelin "fire-and-forget" missile system.

Brisbane's Aerospace Centre of Excellence was opened last year at Murarrie as a part of Raytheon's Australian aerospace team, which provides electronic warfare training for the navy, support for F/A-18 Hornet training simulators and maintenance for F-111 jets at RAAF Base Amberley.

Raytheon Australia also produces tactical radios, driver vision enhancers, thermal weapon sights and the Phalanx weapon system.

"The real crime here is causing the deaths of innocents in wars around the world," Dr Bridle said.

"We firmly believe that only demonic spirits could allow such a corporation to function as it does and we sought to drive out those spirits."

She said the human blood had come from a member of her group and was collected in vials.

"I don't think there would have been any point just walking in and telling them how to go about their business. This would be more dramatic," the academic said.

A spokeswoman for Raytheon said employees were shocked by the use of blood.

"We're just happy that our employees are safe and well," the spokeswoman said.

Police arrested Dr Bridle and another protester, Jim Dowling, after they allegedly refused to leave the Raytheon premises.

They were charged with contravening a police direction and will appear in Wynnum Magistrate's Court on May 29.

Catholic Worker Report on this link

http://bushtelegraph.wordpress.com/2008/04/24/merchant-...eath/