NEWS RELEASE October 6th 2009
wevigilo October 6th, 2009
Contact: Mariah @ 505.379.6942
Newlyweds Spend Honeymoon In Jail
for Free Speech At Lockheed-Martin
Trinity Nuclear Abolitionists from New Mexico joined a local demonstration of peace at Lockheed-Martin in Sunnyvale, CA at noon on Monday October 5th. At 1:30pm Fr. Louis Vitale & a newlywed couple from Albuquerque were arrested for trespassing when the three were not able to finish distributing their fliers on the sidewalk allegedly belonging to Lockheed-Martin (LM). The three peace activists had been distributing fliers to drivers, holding a “Just Married: Love Disarms” banner, and singing prayers at LM for 30 minutes.
The just-married couple are Marcus Page and Chelsea Collonge, who have been working for peace and nuclear abolition through dialog and prayer-actions since 2007, primarily at nuclear weapons sites in New Mexico and Nevada. Yesterday’s peace demonstration included fliers for LM workers, picket signs, and songs from the Raging Grannies. The first week of October is International Keep Space For Peace Week. LM has helped produce and launch communication technology that the U.S. Air Force uses to kill people through unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or “drones”) in the Middle-East.
Leading up to the October 5th prayer-action at Sunnyvale, two of the Trinity Nuclear Abolitionists (TNA) had been holding vigils at other locations in California during the prior two weeks. These activities helped prepare Chelsea Collonge and Marcus Page for their wedding vows. They were married on Saint Francis’ Day (October 4th) in Berkeley. Yesterday’s peace vigil and prayer-action at LM included a dozen other participants. During negotiations with LM security personnel, Chelsea said, “My grandfathers worked here for 30 years, that’s why I care about the current employees here. I wish to speak with them about the weapons work they do here.”
Aware of the large number of corporate and military offenders breaking international laws throughout California, newlyweds Chelsea & Marcus have joined local people in peace vigils as listed at tna.lovarchy.org.
The three TNA activists were cited and released by 3:00, so as not to disrupt the honeymoon of two of the activists. Their arraignment is scheduled for November 16th. Monthly vigils at LM organized by the Pacific Life Community of Northern California (www.wevigil.org), don’t usually include employees of LM. “That’s what makes October 5th special,” says Marcus Page. “we had a chance to offer some information and questions for Lockheed’s employees regarding the potential for nonviolence. Most of the Lockheed security team were patient with us, even though their agenda is at odds with the point of our marriage—working for peace.”
More info is available from Mariah @ 505.379.6942. Fliers for the prayer-action can be downloaded via http://tna.lovarchy.org
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