http://www.nukeresister.org/2015/04/03/seven-activists-arrested-during-good-friday-witness-at-the-pentagon/

Seven activists arrested during Good Friday witness at the Pentagon
Posted on April 3, 2015
by Art Laffin



From Holy Thursday morning to Good Friday, some 25 friends gathered in D.C. for the annual Holy Week Faith and Resistance retreat sponsored by the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker and Jonah House communities. We were especially blessed to have with us students from Loras College from Iowa and members of the New Jerusalem Community from Philadelphia. The theme of the retreat was: “Put Away the Sword.” Holy Thursday was a day of reflection, sharing, action planning and Liturgy. Good Friday was a day of public witness.

The retreat began with a communal Gospel sharing of Matthew 26: 36-56, led by Ted Walker. After lunch, Ray McGovern, former CIA analyst, peacemaker and founder of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity, gave a powerful presentation about his journey from being in the CIA for 27 years to becoming a Gospel peacemaker and truth-teller. His talk, interspersed with song, prayer, stories, video footage, and Irish wit and humor, included a powerful expose about how government lies are consistently used to justify its horrific warmaking ventures—from Vietnam to now. He addressed how the corporate controlled media manipulates and distorts the news. He also spoke of the government’s ruthless and vindictive attempts to stifle dissent and persecute whistleblowers, like Julian Assange and Edward Snowden, whom he has personally met with. His insights and stories regarding state criminality and whistleblowing friends were truly illuminating!

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On Good Friday, a nonviolent public witness was held at the Pentagon. At 7:00 a.m. the community processed from Army-Navy Dr. to the police designated protest zone with signs and small crosses with the names of different victims in our society and world written on them, and singing “Let Me Be An Instrument Of Your Peace.” As hundreds of Pentagon employees streamed into work and numerous police were on hand, seven of our community remained on the Pentagon sidewalk (where we are subject to arrest) and held an “adoration of the cross” before a small cross with the inscription: “2015– Suffering Humanity.” We prayed: “We Adore You O Christ and We Bless You, Because By Your Holy Cross You Have Redeemed the World.” Simultaneously, the rest of the community proceeded into the designated “protest zone.” A huge banner that said “U.S. Empire Crucifies Humanity” was displayed on the grassy slope overlooking the metro entrance. A retreatant, dressed in a black robe and standing on a crate with arms outstretched on a large cross, wore a sign that read “Victim of Militarism.” Our leaflet was read and a reflection about militarism and Jesus being nailed to the cross today, written by Leonardo Boff, were read aloud. In between the readings there was silence and singing “Were You There When They Crucified My Lord.”

After about ten minutes, those who were praying on the sidewalk were arrested, taken to the Pentagon Police processing center, and released after several hours. They were charged with “failure to comply with a lawful order” and have a court date for June 4, 2015.

At noon-time, as a light rain fell, retreatants held a “contemporary crucifixion” on Pennsylvania Ave. directly in front of the White House, as many tourists looked on. See below the reflections that were read for each of the eleven crucified victims as they, wearing black robes, took turns standing on a crate with arms outstretched on the cross.

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