Author Archive for Jack & Felice

Nuclear Stations of the Cross at the Nevada Test Site – photo by Richelle Swarts

from Nevada Desert Experience

On Good Friday, March 29, at the conclusion of Nevada Desert Experience’s annual Sacred Peace Walk, 20 participants were arrested at the entrance of the historic nuclear weapons proving ground 65 miles from Las Vegas. The Sacred Peace Walk is a five-day walk through the desert to bring about greater inner and external peace, particuarly focused on the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) and its offensive pro-nuclear weapons work since 1951. In opposition to such work at the NNSS, many of the participants performed a yoga-dance in flash-mob style just prior to crossing the line which led to their arrests.

from DiaNuke.org

March 28

Based on telephone conversation with Abdul Samad, Manithaneya Makkal Katchi, Kalpakkam.
It is not the manner in which a protest is conducted, but the target of the protests that determine whether the police will turn nasty or remain cool. This morning, more than 1000 people gathered peacefully on the beach near the Kalpakkam nuclear power plant. The organisers instructed people to sit on the sands, and chant slogans. According to Abdul Samad, “Such a peaceful and organised gathering was unprecedented. It was a soft, well-behaved affair. We told the people that officials will come, and we can present our demands to them, and that the police will come and tell us to disperse, after which those who wish to court arrest will have to walk in an orderly manner and board the bus.” Nearly 650 people, including 200 women, were picked up by the police and taken to wedding halls in three towns — Guduvanchery, Singaperumal Koil, and Chengalpet. About 27 leaders are being held in Singaperumal Koil, while 110 others are being held in the same venue downstairs.

Theo Kayser and David Omondi of the Los Angeles Catholic Worker, and Fr. Louis Vitale, OFM

On February 21, L.A. Catholic Worker Theo Kayser appeared in federal court in Santa Barbara, California.  He pled guilty to trespass for his backcountry action at Vandenberg Air Force Base on October 22 and was sentenced to 10 days in prison.  Kayser will begin his sentence on February 25.

His court statement:

Upon receiving a copy of the Statement of Probable Cause for my arrest at Vandenberg AFB on October 21 I noticed an error in the statement. It says and I quote “Kayser was asked what he was doing on Vandenberg AFB. Kayser stated ‘nothing.’” I would just like to say that this was not my response because “nothing” is precisely the opposite of what I was doing.

from Upstate Drone Action

Around 3:30 p.m. on February 13, Ash Wednesday, 9 individuals were arrested by DeWitt Police and Onondaga County Sheriffs for peaceably blocking the main entrance to Hancock Air Base on East Molloy Rd. in the town of DeWitt, a Syracuse, NY suburb.  Hancock is the regional hub for the hunter/killer Reaper drone deployed over Afghanistan, Pakistan and, increasingly, elsewhere.