A soon to be ordained Anglican priest from Dunsborough was arrested this week for protesting the imprisonment of children in immigration detention centres.
Dunsborough Deacon Lucy Morris was arrested on November 24 at a Love Makes A Way prayer sit in protesting at Senator Michaelia Cash’s office in Perth.
Deacon Morris worships at St Georges Anglican Church of Dunsborough.
She will become an ordained Anglican priest this Saturday.
She is CEO of Baptistcare; chair of the Baptistcare Australia Board; and a member of the Australian Churches National Refugee Taskforce.
One of eleven Perth women, Deacon Morris was arrested after refusing to leave the West Perth office until the Senator committed to the release of 726 children and their families from detention.
Deacon Morris said she was involved in the Loves Makes A Way movement because she was deeply concerned about the dire conditions faced by children in detention.
“Injustice is being perpetrated against asylum seekers in the names of Australian citizens and I refuse to accept that decision,” she said.
“I have been asking politicians to discuss this and the answers I am getting are unsatisfactory.
“I am taking this action because I believe God is calling us to do things differently.”
Western Australia Police media liaison officer Samuel Dinnison said Police attended the protest due to the group refusing to leave the building. The police were able to persuade two members to leave with the remainder staying.
Mr Dinnison said the group were peaceful and openly engaged with officers when placed under arrest and issued move-on notices preventing them from returning to the office for 24 hours.
“The group were then transported to Leederville train station at their request where they were unarrested and allowed to go on their way,” he said.
“Police were pleased with the way the group worked with them to resolve the situation and no other action will be taken.”
Love Makes A Way is a movement of Christian people who use non-violent direct action to raise awareness of children and their families in immigration detention centres and to call for their urgent release.
The sit in was held the day before White Ribbon Day which aims to stop violence against women, with sit in participants urging Senator Cash to stop the violence against women and children in immigration detention.
Senator Cash is the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women and the Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection.
Participants in the sit-in included female Priests, Deacons, Pastors, Elders and lay members from a range of traditions including Salvation Army, Australian Christian Churches, Baptist, Catholic, Quaker, Anglican, Riverview Church and Churches of Christ.
