OZ Catholic Workers Acquitted for Criminal Damage Charges Arising from Exorcism of Raytheon Brisbane

by C McC Sun Jul 27, 2008 14:06

Well done people! The message is spreading slowly.

by Briz Vegas Fri Aug 01, 2008 04:39

Brisbane's Mainstream Media Covers Up for Raytheon

http://bushtelegraph.wordpress.com/2008/07/31/a-questio...-1114

by Hamish Sun Sep 07, 2008 06:58

The four big defence companies in Australia; Raytheon, Boeing, Thales, and BAE, are now allowed to hire, fire and re-deploy people based on where they were born.

Under a recently signed defence trade agreement between Australia and the U.S. Australian based arms dealers are required to investigate the birthplace of their workers and anti-discrimination laws have been bent to allow this.

Countries proscribed include: Afghanistan, Belarus, Burma, China, Cyprus, Cuba, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, North Korea, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen and Zimbabwe.

Employees effected just have to have been born in any of these countries (Australian citizenship is not considered) and the U.S. can add to or change this list anytime they like.

Read more http://www.abc.net.au/rn/backgroundbriefing/stories/200...cript

by 5th. Exorcism - Brisbane Catholic Worker Sun Nov 02, 2008 13:37 Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Yesterday nine of us returned to Raytheon’s Brisbane offices to carry out our fifth deliverance rite (exorcism).

At the same time Brisbane Convention Centre was host to a week long “Land Warfare Conference”. Merchants of death such as Raytheon, British Aerospace, and even the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) had their latest weapons on display.

Apparently (haven’t been in myself), a tank, jointly made by Raytheon and Samsung, features prominently as you enter the front door. (Fascinating news to those of us arriving at the Raytheon offices about ten kilometres away, as we discover the adjoining building to Raytheon is the Samsung building. We had no previous knowledge of Samsung being involved in war profiteering before being shown an advertisement for this new tank.)

A number of people had been outside the Convention centre with placards and Banners, and a sneaky enterprising person managed to write ”No War” in big red letters on the front of the building. It is reported that Veteran activist Gareth Smith was arrested while attempting to enter the convention centre. He was posing as an upstanding citizen. I am not sure if he was hoping to buy a Raytheon tank or discuss the finer points of genocide with the IDF, but he was arrested before he had the chance to do either, or similar “upstanding citizen” type actions. He will appear in court at a later no doubt charged with “disturbing the war” or similar heinous crime.

Meanwhile, back to the nine of us at Murrarie.

As well as the tools of exorcism, we brought imitation cluster bombs – yellow painted drink cans labelled “Raytheon” with details of the real product and its affects inside. We placed the cluster bombs around the front foyer and in the garden, and commenced our liturgy. We read our exorcism prayer for nearly an hour inside and outside the foyer which we had posted with colour pictures of Raytheon handiwork – the victims of war. As usual, police finally came, four of them freshly from defending the Convention centre war fest.

The usual discussion ensued about the “correct way” to “protest”; us explaining the difference between a “protest” and an exorcism; and the police telling us we would be “removed” if we did not move from the property.

We then joined our friends on the footpath with placards and banners. One young officer from the Bomb Squad made an effort to come up and tell us how strongly he supported us. (Directing him to the bomb-makers upstairs got nowhere, of course). He passionately stated his opinion that we would be much better off staying outside Raytheon property and educating the public form the footpath. We thanked him for his advice and asked him to join us sometime. (Somehow I don’t think either of us will take up the other’s suggestions quickly)

A mild diversion ensued after police went away to another part of the property. A person who worked for Raytheon or the property owners, grabbed a couple of signs which Gaby had put down. He ran away with them when challenged. Feeling the need for a little exercise, I gave chase along with Gaby. “I bet I can run faster than you”, I called out as we headed through the car park. “Yeh, but what are you going to do then?”, he called back. “Get the signs back “, was my reply. (But really I was thinking, “I don’t know!”). Soon after though, he threw the signs over a 2 ½ meter high enclosure around industrial bins, and I climbed over and got them. Coming back over the police were nearby. We explained what had happened and they told off the Raytheon worker. (Or at least they said they did). And that was the end of the morning exercise.

So mild diversions aside, the struggle with the demonic forces behind Raytheon continues. Give us a call if you want to join us next time.
Peace
Jim Dowling
Peter Maurin Catholic Worker Farm

by JIm - Peter Maurin CW Farm Mon Jun 01, 2009 00:20 Australia

16th May 2009

Raytheon resisters receive $500 or ten days

Two people who occupied the lifts Of Raytheon office last November yesterday received $500 fines in Wynnum (Brisbane/Australia) magistrates court.

Another trial before theirs enabled a small group to picket the courthouse for two hours with signs such as “Put Raytheon on Trial”. They also placed bright Yellow canisters around the front of the court. Each canister contained information about the Raytheon cluster bombs which they resembled.

Bernie Moloney and Jim Dowling are part of a group engaged in ongoing resistance to the presence of Raytheon in Brisbane . Raytheon are the world’s largest manufacturer of Guided missiles, as well as manufacturing four types of cluster bombs, and various other weapons of mass destruction.

During the trial Bernie and Jim were able to describe and show pictures of Raytheon slaughter, as well as cross examine a Raytheon security worker Kevin Smyth.

Kevin had been with Raytheon for ten years, but claimed only to be made aware of Raytheon's manufacture of cluster bombs etc, by the trial. When asked if it concerned him that Raytheon was responsible for the carnage depicted in the photos in front of him, he replied, “No not at all”. His disturbed appearance belied his answer, however.

All the police witnesses were also obviously disturbed by their role in defending such a corporation. However appeals to higher consciences as well as the Nuremburg Principles of International Law, met with the usual numb response. The magistrate himself remained stoic throughout the proceedings, while giving Bernie and Jim considerable leeway to ask questions many magistrates would have not allowed.

Bernie and Jim both informed the magistrate that they would not be paying any fine.