Sent in by World Can't Wait:
Demonstration to Shut Down Marine Recruiting, February 12 2008
Tuesday night, February 12, the Berkeley City Council voted not to send a letter to the Marine Corps telling them their new recruiters, near Berkeley High School, "is not welcome in the city, and if recruiters choose to stay, they do so as uninvited and unwelcome intruders." The Council had received 24,000 messages, reportedly mostly favorable to their stand, but also a great storm of protest on right-wing blogs. Republican politicians in California, and US Senators threatened to take away funds for education and transportation projects in Berkeley, and vilified the Council for being against the war. The Council refused to apologize to the Marines, however, and reaffirmed its stand against the Iraq war and occupation.
Protest started Monday in Berkeley with an overnight vigil supporting the Council's stand in front of City Hall. World Can't Wait activists described the scene as "cool. Activists from Code Pink and World Can't Wait, were singing, making banners, talking all night." There was some good controversy about how to talk about the troops over a banner that the Revolution Club made, saying, "What are they recruiting for? Murder? Rape? Torture?" A theme all day was whether the US military is committing war crimes, while World Can't Wait held photos showing atrocities at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo.
At 5am Tuesday, pro-war protesters called Move America Forward began arriving. They were pushing and shoving, and the police separated the anti and pro-war sides with MLK Drive. The pro-war group, numbering in the dozens during the day, covered a location that skateboarders regularly use. Media reports that the kids were harassing the pro-war group only because they were pushed out are contradicted by World Can't Wait activists who say the skateboarders argued with them over politics.
A 10:30 am press conference organized by Code Pink featured Medea Benjamin of Code Pink, Giovanni Jackson from World Can't Wait, Ann Wright, and an Army veteran recently released from active duty.
A core of Berkeley High School students were involved in the anti-war protests all day. They texted friends inside the school, and at lunch, a "wave" of 700 students poured out of the school and flowed in a noisy wave over to the anti-war group. There they got signs, t shirts and, because someone made a donation on the spot, hundreds of orange bandanas were given out.
A high school administrator told the students they were being "used" by the protesters, which led the students to get on the bullhorn and speak with great intensity about why they were joining the protest. An immoral war and torture are in their future if it's not stopped. But organizers also heard from Berkeley HS teachers who supported the antiwar protest, who had already led discussions with their students. Teachers from an art school ne
arby sent their students to sketch the scene.
The students went over to the pro-war group, and there was a political confrontation between the red/white/blue flag waving, medal-wearing older crowd, and the high school kids who asked how they could defend the war. Arguments broke out all over. The Berkeley police came out in riot gear, their backs to the pro-war crowd, telling the students to back off. The police used their batons to move the students back, and they slowly stepped backward, but did not turn and leave or scatter. Suddenly, they "died" to represent the million+ Iraqis killed in the occupation.
World Can't Wait activists report the police were rough. One person got a broken rib; another a broken finger. Kids were dragged out of larger groups by police. Many students stayed out of school for the afternoon. Two boys aged 13 and 15 were arrested, and by late afternoon a group of 300 gathered in front on the police station to demand the kids' release. More riot police fronted the building and violently cleared the steps with batons, arresting an 18 year old woman who was arguing for the release of her brother. As older antiwar activists arrived after the work day, a rally formed in front of the police station. They chanted "This is what a police state looks like!"
The students were released on Tuesday.
For Move America Forward’s interpretation of today’s events, go here:
Berkeley Code Pink Out-Gunned By Move America Forward Pro-Troop Supporters
http://www.pipelinenews.org/index.cfm?page=berkeley2.12.08.htm
Showing posts with label Berkeley. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Berkeley. Show all posts
February 14, 2008
Berkeley Anti-Recruitment Report
February 7, 2008
Shills for Murder Bully Grandparents & Protesters
Oh, what big hee-men these chickenhawks are! Under the photo's caption there
's a link for the video of World Can't Wait blocking the entrance to the Marine Recruitment Station. You will see some desperate Americans torn between following their conscience or going to work, while Mr. Suit Man smirks, chews gum, strangles and pushes the protesters, even knocking one down:
By Doug Oakley, MediaNews, 02/01/2008
Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates offered Friday to help the U.S. Marines leave town by negotiating an end to the lease for their recruiting station, even as he backpedaled on a City Council resolution declaring the Corps "uninvited and unwelcome intruders" in the city.
In the face of an onslaught of pro-military criticism from around the country, Bates, a retired Army captain, also issued a statement that said the City Council's resolution Tuesday night "did not adequately differentiate our respect and support for those serving in the armed forces and our opposition to the Iraq war policy." He said he would ask the council to modify the resolution at its next meeting, scheduled for Feb. 12.
[...] In an interview Friday, Bates said he has received more than 1,000 e-mails on the resolution, mostly from "the right wing that has really seized up on this and mobilized to pound us."
[...] Councilman Max Anderson, who said he received an honorable discharge from the Marines, maintained he "absolutely" wants them out of Berkeley.
[...] On Friday, 40 Berkeley police officers arrested three protesters from the anti-war group World Can't Wait who chained themselves to the recruiting station and tried to prevent people from entering. They were taken to the Berkeley jail, issued misdemeanor citations and released. Protesters scuffled with at least five men who tried to enter the recruiting station. Berkeley City Attorney Zach Cowan and City Councilman Gordon Wozniak were seen watching the protest with the police on the opposite side of the street. Wozniak opposed the council's action.
U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., has threatened to introduce legislation to strip the city of federal funds - including money going to UC Berkeley, money for school lunches in the Berkeley Unified School District and money for public safety - as a result of the City Council's vote.
A spokeswoman for U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, said the congresswoman would also fight any attempt to strip her district of funding.
[...] Ann Cooper, director of nutrition services for Berkeley Unified, called DeMint's threat to pull $87,000 earmarked for the nutrition education program shameful.
http://www.insidebayarea.com/argus/ci_8141034
They had to get a South Carolina Rep. for backup! But the right wing noise machine is in full gear. How's about we give back what they spew? Go to the Contra Costa Times' poll on supporting this measure, VOTE, POST & SHARE COMMENTS:
http://login.prospero.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=cc-question&msg=735.1&ctx=128
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