Protest in Geelong by praying

from w
The Age ran the story, but I didn't see it in the Geelong Advertiser!

Religious leaders arrested for protesting inside shadow immigration minister's Geelong offices

Date

October 14, 2014 - 12:33AM

Nick Toscano

Workplace Reporter for The Age

Police watch the "prayer sit-in" inside the Geelong offices of Shadow Immigration Minister Richard Marles. Photo: Love Makes A Way Facebook page

Several religious leaders have been arrested while staging a sit-in protest inside the Geelong offices of a federal Labor frontbencher over the party's stance on children in immigration detention centres.

Police arrested the protesters - from Christian groups including the Salvation Army and the Uniting, Baptist and Catholic churches - on Monday night after when they refused to leave the electorate office of Shadow Immigration Minister and Corio MP Richard Marles.

A police spokeswoman confirmed that seven people had been taken into custody and charged with trespass. All were bailed to face the Geelong Magistrates' Court on December 11, she said.

Salvation Army Captain Craig Farrell is taken away by police. Photo: Love Makes A Way Facebook page

The group of seven had been holding a "prayer sit-in" inside the office, saying they would not leave until gaining a public commitment from Mr Marles to "end the bipartisan brutality" and demand the release of all children and families from immigration detention centres.

An adviser for Mr Marles said the group had spent the "majority of the day" - about eight hours - inside the Yarra Street office before being asked to leave shortly after 7pm.

"Richard Marles met with the protesters in his office and they expressed their views," spokeswoman Lidija Ivanovski said.

Baptist minister Simon Moyle is arrested. Photo: Twitter: @lovemakesaway

"At about quarter past seven, you would appreciate that people have to go home."

Ms Ivanovski said police officers asked the protesters to move on, "but they wanted to be arrested".

The group, which calls itself Love Makes a Way, said those arrested including theology lecturer and grandmother-of-nine Jan Morgan, Salvation Army Captain Craig Farrell, Baptist Reverend Brent Lyons-Lee and Uniting Church Reverend Isabel Greenall.

A similar sit-in was staged by the group at Opposition Leader Bill Shorten's office earlier this year.

Salvation Army spokesman Bruce Redman said Captain Farrell had the full support of the organisation.

"The Salvation Army is proud to support Captain Craig Farrell in his attempt to highlight the suffering of families in immigration detention, in particular, women and children," Dr Redman said.

"From our point of view, it is about dignity and protecting innocence."

The group's allegedly illegal behaviour was also praised by the Uniting Church, with church moderator Dan Wootton commending their courage.

"The willingness of Uniting Church ministers to participate in an act of civil disobedience reinforces the deep concern that is felt for children in detention," he said.

"I commend them for their courage and join their calls in asking for a bipartisan commitment to get all children out of detention centres with their families."

Shortly after 10.30pm, Reverend Lyons-Lee posted on social media: "Safely home and no longer behind bars, unlike the 789 kids in detention tonight".

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/religious-leaders-arrested-for-protesting-inside-shadow-immigration-ministers-geelong-offices-20141014-115kaj.html#ixzz3G2imVMTt