Weapons Seized as Sedevacantists and Anti-Church Protesters implicated in importing armaments.
18th July YC123/FC238
Lamadent Capital News Network
A joint operation by Lamadent Spaceport Authority and Federation Customs officials have seized significant quantities of personal weapons being imported into the member state, according to a statement released by both agencies.
Port Authority Captain Sebastienne ‘Baz’ Jacobs issued a formal statement to the press to disclose that several hundred units of small arms, ranging from high-powered laser weaponry to ballistic firearms, as well as thousands of units of ammunition, were confiscated from a merchant attempting to import them to the member state.
Citing the recent speech given by Father Kavad exhorting his follows to arm themselves, as well as recent instances of violence between protestors and members of the Sedevacantist Church, Captain Jacobs ordered the confiscation of the arms on grounds of public safety and failure to properly disclose their intended receivers in violation of the Roussillon Arms Control Act (RACA).
Whilst violence has abated since the destruction of the citadel in Nakri owned by the Sedevacantist Church’s main sponsor, Nauplius, public safety officials fear that it is only a matter of time before further clashes take place. Whilst this shipment has been interdicted, it has been noted by the Chamber of Commerce that private sales of firearms have been increasing in addition to retailers seeing record business. With the District Court allegedly close to a decision, Roussillon is according to some is sitting upon a powder keg, with a tinderbox uncomfortably close by.
Ire has also been directed towards holoreel actor Jacques Benoit from the anti-Church camp, who has recently agreed to star in a production bankrolled by the Church. It is rumoured that the All-Federation Caldari League has made overtures to Mr Benoit in respect to this, but nothing has been confirmed by the League’s spokespeople.
In other news, Lamadent Capital News Network has received a fractured report from the Thelan Solar System that an attempt by the Sedevacantist Church to establish another place of worship in the township of Narbonne on the fourth planet has been attacked by unidentified militants in the dead of night. The extent of the damage caused is currently unclear, as further reports have not been received. We await further information from our sister stations at this time and will be sure to relay any further updates as they are made available to us.
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