Peace Games interupt war games

Four Christian activists face court on April 24th 2008 for disrupting war games by playing frisbee with Australian and US defence forces in the restricted Shoalwater Bay Training Area on the central Queensland coast in June 2007.

Dubbed the 'Frisbee Four', Rev. Simon Moyle (31 yrs Melbourne – Baptist Minister), Simon Reeves (26 yrs Melbourne – Youth Worker), Krystal Spencer (22yrs Melbourne – Residential Care Worker), Sarah Williams (24 yrs Melbourne – Support Worker) are pleading not guilty to charges of trespassing (without lawful excuse) on the prohibited area. They will represent themselves, arguing that their actions were necessary to prevent greater crimes.

The biennial Talisman Sabre military exercises involved almost 30,000 Australian and US troops engaged in live-fire exercises including land and sea bombings, and the use of active sonar, all in one of Australia's most environmentally sensitive areas.

"If our defence forces are supposed to be protecting our country, why are they allowing foreign powers to come and bomb our spectacular wilderness areas?" asked one of the defendants, Rev. Simon Moyle. "Our actions modelled a different way to do conflict resolution than militarism and war – to resist injustice and oppression not with violence but with a spirit of love and fun, and with a willingness to bear the cost."

The four nonviolent activists were inspired by their Christian faith, and other nonviolent activists such as Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Mohandas K. Gandhi, and Dorothy Day.

"Training for war can only mean more war," Rev. Moyle said. "In the same way as playing frisbee takes practice, if we want peace, we're going to have to train for that instead."

Support groups for the Frisbee Four will meet in Melbourne at Federation Square between 12 and 2pm on April 24th to rove the city playing frisbee and encouraging anyone to join them. Free frisbees will be given out to those who wish to join in.

Media contact: Rev. Simon Moyle (0402 857 915 or smoyle@gmail.com )

More information: http://samuelhill5.blogspot.com