Subject: Re: New York Police Arrest Veterans Protesting at Vietnam War
Memorial
I'd hate to be a cop. Every day I'd be called upon to protect the Empire's
property and people, but every night I'd have to go home to my Working Class
home. There I'd be, living among the same people whose heads I'd been
ordered to knock in.
Carl Jarvis
----- Original Message -----
From: "Miriam Vieni" <miriamvieni@optonline.net>
To: "'Blind Democracy Discussion List'" <blind-democracy@octothorp.org>
Sent: Monday, April 07, 2014 11:15 AM
Subject: New York Police Arrest Veterans Protesting at Vietnam War Memorial
Apparently, the new mayor hasn't made much difference in how the police
handle Occupy.
Lewis writes: "Three military veterans were arrested at New York City's
Vietnam Memorial after taking part in a protest that activists said was part
of an attempted revival of the Occupy movement, a push that began Friday
with events planned worldwide."
A Vietnam Veteran being arrested by NYPD after protest at Vietnam War
Memorial. (photo: AnonymouSkY/Twitter)
New York Police Arrest Veterans Protesting at Vietnam War Memorial
By Renee Lewis, Al Jazeera America
06 April 14
Activists say protest was part of an attempt to revive Occupy movement, with
events planned worldwide.
Three military veterans were arrested at New York City's Vietnam Memorial
after taking part in a protest that activists said was part of an attempted
revival of the Occupy movement, a push that began Friday with events planned
worldwide.
About 100 protesters at the New York memorial shouted "shame" and "no
justice, no peace" as police loaded the three veterans and two other
protesters into the back of a van.
Activists said they had planned to read the names of fallen U.S. soldiers at
the memorial in lower Manhattan, but police said the park had closed at 10
p.m. so the public was not allowed to be there. The rally was organized by
Veterans for Peace (VFP), a nonprofit organization that says it is dedicated
to educating the public about the costs of war.
As the crowd gathered, police gave three warnings over a loudspeaker that
anyone remaining at the memorial would be subject to arrest.
"There's no reason for this park to be closed," John Spitzberg, a veteran
and member of VFP, told Al Jazeera. Spitzberg was one of the veterans
arrested Friday.
"The right to protest doesn't end at 10 p.m.," he said.
A New York Police Dept. Detective who gave only his surname, Sessa, said at
the time of publication late Friday that police did not yet have information
about the arrests.
The Occupy movement began in Zuccotti Park in New York City's financial
district in September 2011, launching debate over wealth concentration in
the hands of the "1 percent" into mainstream politics and media.
On May 1, 2012, hundreds of protesters marched from Zuccotti Park to the
Vietnam memorial for a "general assembly." Police later arrived and told
those gathered that they would have to leave because the park closed at 10
p.m. Activists say the memorial is usually open to the public 24 hours a
day.
In at attempt to defuse the tension that day, veterans formed a line between
police and protesters, said Ellen Davidson, a member of VFP but not a
veteran herself. But they were soon arrested themselves, she told Al Jazeera
on Friday.
"That's what made us say what the hell," Davidson said, adding that the
group returned in October 2012 and October 2013 to protest the treatment of
the veterans. Dozens more veterans and their supporters were arrested at
subsequent protests.
On Friday, protesters had again planned to read the names at the memorial at
10 p.m. in protest, but dozens of police - including some from the Technical
Assistance Response Unit (TARU) - were waiting with dozens of zip-ties, or
plastic handcuffs.
Spitzberg, a past president of his Ashville, N.C. VFP chapter, said he was
at the protest to bring attention to the billions of dollars the U.S. spends
on war.
"That money could be used for the poor. Meanwhile, the number of homeless
veterans is multiplying - the number of veterans committing suicide is
multiplying," Spitzberg said. "This country is so militaristic, so totally
devoted to the wealthy 1 percent that Occupy spoke about."
Protesters said that they had returned to the Vietnam Memorial on Friday as
part of a planned Occupy revival - called "Worldwide Wave of Action" - and
that events were planned for Friday in cities around the world.
Activists said about 100 protesters had gathered at Zuccotti Park earlier
Friday. No arrests were reported.
Lewis Chiu, a protester who was arrested Friday, told Al Jazeera that he was
at the event because he believed the memorial should be open to the public.
"The only way I'll leave is if they arrest me," he said, shortly before
police zip-tied him and loaded him into a van.
Error! Hyperlink reference not valid. Error! Hyperlink reference not valid.
A Vietnam Veteran being arrested by NYPD after protest at Vietnam War
Memorial. (photo: AnonymouSkY/Twitter)
http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/4/4/occupy-manhattanveteran.htmlh
ttp://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/4/4/occupy-manhattanveteran.html
New York Police Arrest Veterans Protesting at Vietnam War Memorial
By Renee Lewis, Al Jazeera America
06 April 14
Activists say protest was part of an attempt to revive Occupy movement, with
events planned worldwide.
hree military veterans were arrested at New York City's Vietnam Memorial
after taking part in a protest that activists said was part of an attempted
revival of the Occupy movement, a push that began Friday with events planned
worldwide.
About 100 protesters at the New York memorial shouted "shame" and "no
justice, no peace" as police loaded the three veterans and two other
protesters into the back of a van.
Activists said they had planned to read the names of fallen U.S. soldiers at
the memorial in lower Manhattan, but police said the park had closed at 10
p.m. so the public was not allowed to be there. The rally was organized by
Veterans for Peace (VFP), a nonprofit organization that says it is dedicated
to educating the public about the costs of war.
As the crowd gathered, police gave three warnings over a loudspeaker that
anyone remaining at the memorial would be subject to arrest.
"There's no reason for this park to be closed," John Spitzberg, a veteran
and member of VFP, told Al Jazeera. Spitzberg was one of the veterans
arrested Friday.
"The right to protest doesn't end at 10 p.m.," he said.
A New York Police Dept. Detective who gave only his surname, Sessa, said at
the time of publication late Friday that police did not yet have information
about the arrests.
The Occupy movement began in Zuccotti Park in New York City's financial
district in September 2011, launching debate over wealth concentration in
the hands of the "1 percent" into mainstream politics and media.
On May 1, 2012, hundreds of protesters marched from Zuccotti Park to the
Vietnam memorial for a "general assembly." Police later arrived and told
those gathered that they would have to leave because the park closed at 10
p.m. Activists say the memorial is usually open to the public 24 hours a
day.
In at attempt to defuse the tension that day, veterans formed a line between
police and protesters, said Ellen Davidson, a member of VFP but not a
veteran herself. But they were soon arrested themselves, she told Al Jazeera
on Friday.
"That's what made us say what the hell," Davidson said, adding that the
group returned in October 2012 and October 2013 to protest the treatment of
the veterans. Dozens more veterans and their supporters were arrested at
subsequent protests.
On Friday, protesters had again planned to read the names at the memorial at
10 p.m. in protest, but dozens of police - including some from the Technical
Assistance Response Unit (TARU) - were waiting with dozens of zip-ties, or
plastic handcuffs.
Spitzberg, a past president of his Ashville, N.C. VFP chapter, said he was
at the protest to bring attention to the billions of dollars the U.S. spends
on war.
"That money could be used for the poor. Meanwhile, the number of homeless
veterans is multiplying - the number of veterans committing suicide is
multiplying," Spitzberg said. "This country is so militaristic, so totally
devoted to the wealthy 1 percent that Occupy spoke about."
Protesters said that they had returned to the Vietnam Memorial on Friday as
part of a planned Occupy revival - called "Worldwide Wave of Action" - and
that events were planned for Friday in cities around the world.
Activists said about 100 protesters had gathered at Zuccotti Park earlier
Friday. No arrests were reported.
Lewis Chiu, a protester who was arrested Friday, told Al Jazeera that he was
at the event because he believed the memorial should be open to the public.
"The only way I'll leave is if they arrest me," he said, shortly before
police zip-tied him and loaded him into a van.
_______________________________________________
Blind-Democracy mailing list
Blind-Democracy@octothorp.org
http://www.octothorp.org/mailman/listinfo/blind-democracy
No comments:
Post a Comment