ACTIVISTS were at the Ipswich Magistrates Court after they created a memorial using posters at the Rheinmetall weapons factory forcing the cancellation of a UQ student recruitment event.
An Ipswich Magistrate fined the activists $900 each. A very steep penalty for sticking pictures of West Papuans killed by Rheinmetall weapons to the door of the factory. Their purpose was that UQ students, visiting the factory for a recruitment event, could see directly the results of working with a weapons corporation.
The results of weapons are maimed and injured and murdered West Papuan people along with the destruction of their community infrastructure, villages, gardens. More than 60000 people have been identified as “internally displaced” in West Papua.
Weapons manufacturer recruits students for war machine
On October 17, 2023 Dave Sprigg and Sam Wheeldon created a memorial at Rheinmetall Weapons Factory at Ipswich. The memorial was in memory of those West Papuans killed in the slow genocide of the Indonesian military occupation. Both were charged with trespass and willful damage. Pleas of not guilty were entered into last month at Ipswich Court.
Rheinmetall weapons, munitions and armoured vehicles are at the heart of the “slow-genocide” in West Papua.
Recruitment of Technicians and Engineers
Rheinmetall is recruiting young factory technicians and engineers for genocide, building weapons in Brisbane’s western suburbs.
Mr Sprigg said “young people are better suited to building safe housing or building renewables infrastructure for a successful energy transition. We need engineers engineering for life – not for death and destruction.”
The Queensland government, have been central to funding and enabling two Rheinmetall factories in Queensland. In Maryborough, a power substation was built explicitly for Rheinmetall at the cost of $9 million dollars.
100 armoured vehicles, components and munitions from the Ipswich and Maryborough weapons factories will be exported to Germany for the US/German genocides and other unnecessary wars.
Mr Sprigg said “Genocides are required for the profitability of the weapons exports industry. Genocides are part of the business model. Genocides must be orchestrated and facilitated. They never occur without the permission and organisation of states.”
David Sprigg said
“Some rich people discovered there was gold in West Papua and decided the people would be colonised. West Papuan’s independence was stolen from them then. Now there’s an Indonesian military occupation in West Papua. It’s a brutal regime and Rheinmetall is crucial in the weaponising that occupation.”
“Furthermore, Rheinmetall is arming Israel directly both before and after the beginning of the current genocide in Palestine. It’s important that we act strongly to stop the flow of weapons to genocide”.
At the event on 17th October, Rheinmetall security workers who are ex ADF, were seen pushing protesters to the ground. Video and photos of the days actions can be found here.
DROPBOX LINK FOR PHOTOS and videos.
Call Margaret Pestorius: 0461340427
David Sprigg 0410273604 (Defendant)
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