Feds arrest peace group
members, August 24, 2007
Photos & article by Luke
Thomas
Five CodePink anti-war
protesters were arrested in San Francisco outside the Phillip
Burton federal building during a peaceful protest aimed at
drawing attention to Speaker Nancy Pelosi's refusal to speak
with anti-war constituents and peace groups.
As many as twenty, mostly female protestors, blocked all
public entrances and exits to the building while carrying
signs that read "Fasting for Peace," "Hungry for Peace," "Silence
is not an option Madam Speaker," and "Madam Speaker silences
our voices."
The largest banner simply read "IMPEACH."
Pelosi, who initially voted against going to war in Iraq,
has voted for all but the last funding appropriation in support
of the Iraq war, to the tune of $456
billion and counting while touting "No blank check for
Iraq."
The Speaker also refuses to pursue articles of impeachment
against President George Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney
for their part in perpetrating war crimes against humanity
based on false intelligence. It is widely believed that the
so-called 'War on Terror' is a Bush Administration mask for
the ulterior intention of controlling Middle East oil and
gas reserves.
Meanwhile, 3,724 U.S. service personnel have been killed
in Iraq and Afghanistan, 28,308 have been wounded or maimed
for life, as many as 655,000 Iraqis have been killed and more
than 4 million have been displaced from their homes.
The protestors, who taped strips of pink
duct tape across their mouths to symbolize what they believe
Pelosi expects from her constituents, held a press conference
before using their bodies to block ingress and egress to the
building.
"We're putting pink duct tape
on our mouths to symbolize that Nancy Pelosi has silenced
us," said CodePink member Toby Blome before she was arrested.
"Our question is why can't Nancy Pelosi come and talk to
us like decent human beings," she said. "It is obscene, and
we need to let her know how angry we are about it."
Federal and local authorities resisted intervention for two
hours before making arrests. Several members of the public
including federal employees were prevented from entering or
leaving the building.
One man managed to force his way in by manhandling a female
protestor, pulling and pushing her aside to gain access. Other
members of the public, although expressing their support for
the protestors, also expressed frustration at the inconvenience
of not being able to get back to work or to mail letters.
One protestor responded, "Yes, we know it's an inconvenience.
Imagine how inconvenient it is to lose your son or daughter
for an unjust war based on lies."
A protestor is manhandled by a member of the public.
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Pictures from Camp Pelosi
Stop Buying Bush's War Press
Conference
Military Families Speak Out
Arrest at Pelosi's Office
|
On
Sunday, September 2, San Francisco’s Global Gate
Park was home to the 40th anniversary concert called Summer
of Love. The San Francisco Chronicle estimated the huge
crowd at over 50,000! Musicians included Taj Mahal, New Riders
of the Purple Sage, the Starship, the Chambers Brothers, Dan
Hicks and the Hot Licks—and our favorite: Country Joe
McDonald. Joe wore a CODEPINK
Stop the Next War Now t-shirt onstage, and started his set
saying “I’m with CODEPINK today.” He
got the crowd jumpin’ with his trademark from Woodstock:
"Give me an F, Give me a U, Give me a C, Give me a
K! What's that spell? What’s that spell?" He
then launched into "Fixin? to Die Rag," the
anti-Vietnam anthem that resonates more than ever now.CODEPINKers
snaked through the massive crowd getting people to sign on
to a petition asking Nancy Pelosi to stop funding the war
and giving out pink Make Love Now War stickers. We were greeted
with thanks, thumbs up, and shouts of “Go CODEPINK”.
We say: “Go San Francisco!!!” 
