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Man accused of desecrating cemetery war memorial says he had God's permission Man accused of desecrating cemetery war memorial says he had God's permission
(about 4 hours later)
A man accused of desecrating a Brisbane war memorial says he had a “higher permission” to remove a brass sword from a stone crucifix. Two men accused of vandalising a Brisbane war memorial were filmed removing a brass sword from a stone cross but insisted they had a “higher permission”, their trial has heard.
James Joseph Dowling, 61, and three other men went to Toowong cemetery with a mallet, anvil and ladder and vandalised the monument on Ash Wednesday, Brisbane magistrates court heard on Wednesday. Setting out with a mallet, anvil, crowbar and ladder, James Joseph Dowling, 61, and Tim Webb allegedly committed the desecration at the Toowong Cemetery on Ash Wednesday with other members of the Brisbane Catholic Workers group.
“Its blasphemy to allow a sword to be placed on a Christian cross,” Dowling said in a police interview on 2 March, a day after allegedly damaging the memorial. “We felt we were called by God to make a strong statement when we saw that blasphemy.” In a series of short clips and pictures shown to the Brisbane magistrates court on Wednesday, Dowling can be seen scaling the cross.
During the interview, Dowling allegedly admitted to removing the sword with a crowbar. He tried to lever the sword from the cross with a crowbar but when he couldn’t loosen the hilt, he cut the 1.8 metre blade free with a hacksaw.
However, he and his co-accused Andrew William Paine, Tim Webb and Franz Dowling have pleaded not guilty to willful damage. Next, Webb used the mallet and anvil to beat the memorial’s “sword of sacrifice” into a plough shape, the court heard.
After allegedly taking the 1.8m blade of the sword off the cross, Webb beat it into a hoe and a half-hour service was held by several members of the Brisbane Catholic Workers group, the court heard. In a police interview the day after the alleged desecration, Dowling admitted to removing the sword, and when asked whether he was authorised to do so he cited a “higher permission”.
The group left two documents behind, one titled “The early church on war” and the other “Beat swords into ploughshares” – a sentiment Dowling said was contained in the book of Isaiah. Webb said he was taking action over the church’s complicity in wars and its violent history in another video. But the two men – as well as Dowling’s son Franz and Andrew Paine – have pleaded not guilty to wilful damage.
“That was to explain what we had just done,” Dowling said in the police interview. Dowling, who is self-represented, argued no damage was caused.
Dowling left his name and number at the bottom of the documents, the court heard. “It’s blasphemy to allow a sword to be placed on a Christian cross,” Dowling said in a police interview, which was played at their trial.
He said he “could probably work out” what he had done was illegal. But he said he felt he would be committing an offence against God if he didn’t remove the sword. “We felt we were called by God to make a strong statement when we saw that blasphemy.”
The men’s case continues at the Brisbane magistrates court, where they are representing themselves. The monument, which has stood since 1924, was repaired before Anzac Day at a cost of $10,000, the court heard.
During their trial, Franz Dowling and Paine said there was no evidence they were involved in the alleged desecration.
Franz Dowling said his only involvement was playing a guitar and praying but police prosecutor Kevin Carmont argued his music was encouraging the alleged vandals.
After allegedly removing the sword and holding a short prayer service, the group left two documents.
One was titled The Early Church on War and the other Beat Swords into Ploughshares – a sentiment Dowling said was contained in the Book of Isaiah.
“That was to explain what we had just done,” Dowling said in the police interview. Dowling left his name and number at the bottom of the documents, the court heard.
The trial continues on Monday.