Blockade of Rockhamton Army Depot Supplying Talisman Saber 09

international | anti-war | news report Monday July 06, 2009 07:48 by Rachael Harrison

The gates of Australian Army at Rockhampton Airport were blocked this morning (July 6th. 09) by a group of Christian anti-war activists.

The gates of Australian Army at Rockhampton Airport were blocked this morning (July 6th. 09) by a group of Christian anti-war activists. The depot is presently deploying U.S. and Australian military personnel to Talisman Saber 09 exercises taking place at nearby Shoalwater Bay.

Melbourne activists Rev. Simon Moyle (Baptist, Urban Seed, Insipiral), Jacob Bolton (Jahworks),
Craig Farrel (Salvation Army) Phil and Leanne Yew (The Cave) lay prostrate blockading the gate accompanied by Catholic Workers Jim Dowling, Ciaron O’Reilly and Cully Palmer holding a large banner "In the Name of God Stop the Wars".

Military security responded to the blockade by closing, locking and guarding the gate while the 14 anti-war activists read the names of Afghani civilians, Australian and U.S soldiers killed in the ongoing war on Afghanistan
Rev. Simon Moyle stated,
"This morning we spent an hour and a half blockading one of the gates to the Western Barracks in Rockhampton. In an act of repentance for our own complicity, five of us lay prostrate on the ground before the gates while others held a banner reading, "In the name of God stop the wars" and others prayed the rosary.

Police hung back this time and were going to direct us to move when we decided to do so ourselves. We did get a lot of media attention though, and directed it towards what was going on inside."