Islington Tribune - News: Jail sentence for Iraq war protest priest

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Islington Tribune - by MARK BLUNDEN
Published: 4 May 2007

Jail sentence for Iraq war protest priest

A CATHOLIC priest has been jailed for protesting against the Iraq war by daubing graffiti on a wall at the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in Whitehall.
Father Martin Newell, 39, was sentenced on Tuesday to 14 days in Brixton Prison after a being found guilty of criminal damage at Westminster Magistrates Court.
The Passionist priest from Islington was jailed after refusing a court order to pay £600 compensation to the MoD.
Father Martin’s graffiti followed a Catholic Worker protest on the lawns outside the MoD in Whitehall in 2004.
Father Martin later wrote in red paint on the wall: “Remember the Innocent, Stop the War, Remember Iraqi War Dead”.
He was stopped by police and arrested but has refused to pay the £600 fine as an “act of non-co-operation with the war on Iraq”.
The priest was among seven people arrested on the day for various offences. During the trial, Father Martin said: “I work with refugees. I see the effects of wars daily. Jesus said: ‘whatever you do to the least of my brothers and sisters you do to me’, and the war in Iraq is killing our brothers and sisters.”
His supporters hope that Father Martin will be released from Brixton today (Friday).

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