Peace Activists on Trial

From: Auckland Peace Action

Date: 12 February 2017

Auckland Peace Action is calling for justice for the 16 peace activists facing trial this week for charges relating to the 2015 Weapons Conference. All 16 people are on trial together in the Wellington District Court starting at 10am Monday.

Auckland Peace Action spokesperson Virginia Lambert says “These activists are facing minor charges for non-violently blockading an arms fair. This Weapons Conference is a meeting of global arms dealers who get together to make a profit from selling weapons. This is abhorrent. The Conference is sponsored by Lockheed Martin, the world’s largest arms dealer and a maker of nuclear weapons.”

Ms. Lambert says “The arms dealers are profiting from murder and human misery. This is the real crime that is happening, and it is all supported by the New Zealand government.”

Ms. Lambert says “We have a government committing billions to new weapons, and there is cross party support for NZ involvement in ongoing US wars. We will take direct action to stop these war makers and war profiteers because the National and Labour parties certainly aren’t going to.”

In Auckland last year, the blockade of the Weapons Expo the Auckland community mobilized to lock out hundreds of arms dealers from their expo.

Ms. Lambert says “We stand with our colleagues in Peace Action Wellington, and the people facing charges next week. We will continue our campaign to stop the arms trade and the wars it feeds."

ENDS

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