A GROUP of 50 anti-war activists defied warnings that they risk arrest to protest against military training in central Queensland.
However, US Navy spokesman Commander Robert Mulac said the protests had been quiet, and had not yet disrupted Operation Talisman Sabre, a joint training exercise involving 6,000 Australian and 11,000 US personnel. He said it was unlikely the protests would convert defence personnel to peace advocacy.
Our defence personnel do engage in peace advocacy, and they have a variety of weapons choices to make that happen. |
Robin Taubenfeld, a spokesman for Everyone for a Nuclear Free Future, said the protesters were undeterred by the Australian Defence Force warnings, but had not yet provoked police by entering the Shoalwater Bay training area. "We fully understand the possibility of people being arrested for entering the military training area.
"The decision to do an arrestful action is up to each individual, as to how far they want to push their action for peace.
"Of course, we would love to see the police and military police not arrest us and join us in crossing the line for peace." |