Frank Vavasour, a member of the Catholic organisation Pax Christi in Sydney, was arrested today when he attempted to scale the fence of the Rockhampton military barracks.
Mr Vavasour was part of a protest outside the military barracks where 50 people gathered to express their opposition to the military exercise Operation Talisman Saber.
After speeches by Denis Doherty from the Australian Anti Basis Campaign Coalition and Professor Jake Lynch, Director of the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies at the Sydney University, Mr Vavasour made his way to the gate and climbed to the top before being stopped by the police. Police held him there until a ladder arrived to assist Mr Vavasour down.
Mr Vavasour said, "If people are to work for peace they need to take a stand. I wanted to mark my abhorrence and resistance to this violent mobilisation against much poorer countries and the killing of civilians as a result. The Bible says 'Do not kill' fullstop. All it takes is for people to be silent and not to do anything. So I am doing the little bit that I can."
Mr Vavasour has been charged with obstruction.
The protest was part of the Peace Convergence.
For more information visit www.peaceconvergence.com