Kings Bay Plowshare activists arrested after protesting use of nuclear weapons on local naval base

Seven people are facing charges for walking onto the Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base to protest, and allegedly defacing property.

They were members of the Kings Bay Plowshare group and they say they were speaking out against the use of nuclear weapons.

Action News Jax’s Courtney Cole reached out to the base to ask if they plan to step up security after this incident and is waiting to hear back.

Despite the arrest, members of the group say this will not discourage them from continuing to work toward a more peaceful world.

Patrick Oneill, 62, Martha Hennessy, 62, Elizabeth McAllister, 78, Therese Grady, 59, Peter Corville, 56, Michael Kelly, 69,  and Carmen Trotta, 55, were all arrested after walking onto the Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base on Wednesday Night.

"Their goal is to enact Isiah’s, the prophet Isiah’s, call to turn swords into plowshares,” said Jessica Stewart, a member of the Kings Bay Plowshares.

They went on to three parts of the base with hammers, what they called "baby bottles of their own blood," spray paint and crime scene tape to protest against the use of nuclear weapons.

"They’re trying to be about the work Martin Luther King called, the building of a non-violent world. The building of a non-violent world. Dismantling racism and militarism and economic injustice is a precursor to the beloved community he [ Martin Luther King, Jr.] asked us to reach toward and walk toward,” Paul Magno told Action News Jax.

Magno is also a member of the Kings Bay Plowshares group.

They're now facing charges for criminal trespass, interference with government property, and possession of tools for the commission of a crime.

But they claim the real crime is being done by the U.S. government.

"They’ve indicted Kings Bay, they’ve indicted the U.S. Defense Department and President Trump for continuing war crimes, which is what trident and this base represent,” Magno said.

Despite the arrests, members say the group is committed to this work and they’re committed to supporting them.

The Kings Bay Plowshares say they're planning to hold a vigil at the Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base on Saturday at 10 a.m. to continue to call for an end to use of nuclear weapons.

Cox Media Group