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Catholic peace activists due in court


Ray Towey, Henrietta Cullinan and Katrina Alton will appear in Hammersmith Magistrates' Court on Monday 3 September. They have been charged with Criminal Damage following their peace witness at the Ministry of Defence during Holy Week 2012. Their witness was a challenge to the UK's nuclear weapons policy. They marked the building with blessed charcoal with the words 'Trident Crucifies the Poor' and 'Disarm Trident' and with simple crosses.

Reflecting on the action Katrina Alton said: "There seems to be an overwhelming irony that we can be charged with 'criminal damage' for using blessed charcoal to proclaim words of truth, when the MoD itself is continuing to perpetuate the use of 'Trident' which is used would result in genocide and environmental catastrophe."

On Ash Wednesday 2012 the three had earlier taken part in a similar action to mark 30 years of witness and resistance to nuclear war preparations with members of London Catholic Worker, Pax Christi and Christian CND. Ray Towey, who had taken part in some of the early Ash Wednesday actions said: "Whatever outcome at my trial I am grateful for the chance of making public Christian witness. I have always seen Christian witness against nuclear weapons as a missionary witness and if I risked arrest then I might be able to take the witness also to the courts which give legal protection to these plans for genocide. I do not seek arrest or prison as an end in itself."

There will be a gathering for prayer outside the court at 9.30am in front of Hammersmith Magistrates' Court, 181 Talgarth Road, London W6 8DN

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