Activists gatecrash arms trader event

by: London Catholic Worker

Father Martin Newell is evicted from Grosvenor House Hotel by po

Father Martin Newell is evicted from the Grosvenor House Hotel by police.
PHOTO: London Catholic Worker , ciaronx@hotmail.com

London: Three members of the London Catholic Worker gate-crashed the Society of British Aerospace Companies' (SBAC) reception for delegates to the Farnborough Airshow, held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in Park Lane, Mayfair, London, on 23 July.2002.
Guests included Jack Straw, the American and Israeli Ambassadors, corporate executives from the aerospace industry and military representatives from many countries among 1,500 others.
Father Martin Newell (35), Scott Albrecht (40) and Maria Albrecht (40) wore white shirts splattered with red paint, symbolising the blood of innocent victims shed as a consequence of the arms trade.
The three disrupted the guest speakers opening address by repeatedly chanting “thou shalt not kill” from a balcony above the crowd. They were forcibly removed by irate hotel security, handed over to the metropolitan police, arrested for "Breach of the peace", held in cells for five hours - then released without charge.

Fr. Martin Newell said:
“The Bishops of Africa have called on Western Christians to engage with decision makers and arms traders to stop the indiscriminate sale of weapons. We came here this evening in response to this call." Quoting the Bishops, he said: “The continent is burning and bleeding in many places… It is imperative that there be a stop to arms sales to groups locked in conflicts in Africa.”
(Message of African Synod of Catholic Bishops, 1994)

Scott Albrecht said:
"This was a perfect opportunity to "speak truth to power". Afghani, Iraqi, Palestinian and untold millions of people have suffered and died as a consequence of meetings such as these. Christians need to engage and unmask these powers just as Jesus did."
Maria Albrecht added:
"I was grateful for the opportunity of speaking on behalf of people who have had to pay the 'real price' for the celebration that was taking place this evening. In the third world 24,000 people starve daily. An annual sum of £24 billion is needed in agricultural aid to stop this holocaust. The British government chooses however to spend £23.5 billion annually on defence and subsidises the arms trade by another £760 million."

Father Martin Newell (pictured) is a Catholic priest in East London. American and former military serviceman Scott Albrecht is a Chaplain and Australia born Maria Albrecht is an IT teacher, they have 4 children.

Source: London Catholic Worker