H05117
Headlines : Civil LibertiesCindy Sheehan Arrested at White House
Republished from The Los Angeles Times
Washington – Cindy Sheehan, whose protest camp outside President Bush’s vacation home in Texas became a focal point of the antiwar movement this summer, was arrested today outside the White House at the head of a civil disobedience campaign intended to dramatize the opposition to the war in Iraq.
On the third day of demonstrations that brought tens of thousands of opponents to the war to Washington on Saturday, a much smaller group sat down in front of the executive mansion, after being refused an opportunity to meet with a White House staff member.
Before Sheehan, 48, was arrested, she took a picture of her son, Casey, who was killed in an ambush last year in the Sadr City section of Baghdad, from around her neck and tied it with a pink ribbon to the tall, wrought iron fence that surrounds the White House.
As police moved in on the protesters, the demonstrators sang Amazing Grace, This Little Light of Mine, and other songs.
U.S. Park Police spokesman Sgt. Scott R. Fear said, it’s a peaceful demonstration. We are going to take our time arresting them. The demonstrators were given three warnings, after which they were arrested for demonstrating without a permit.
On Capitol…
Posted by ShiftShapers
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I posted this one just for you, IF2. have a drink in celebration.
no seriously. considering this took place in a “restricted” area, it is my observation that this was most likely intentional on the part of the protesters. such tactics (intentionally getting arrested to draw attention) are not new. not only was the restricted area most likely well marked, but the group was warned, a few times, to leave or face arrest. thus it is logical to conclude they intended confrontation and arrest. what do you all think?
“The pavement outside the White House is a restricted area, where people by law must keep moving.” according to a BBC report. So yes, civil disobedience…
yay.
The pavement outside the White House is a restricted area, where people by law must keep moving.
Sure. Unless you’re a tourist taking pictures of your family. Or a protester by yourself with no media around you to raise your voice. Or a coupla guys hanging out talking.
The only difference between this situation and the ones I’ve witnessed and named here is the media attention. The cops, of course, have learned a thing or two since the 1950s – if you’re going to use force on successful (i.e. loud and visible) protesters, make sure it’s limited to handcuffs. The water cannons and the dogs don’t play as well on camera.
This is rediculous. The capital of the US should not have any restricted public areas for its citizens. We do not have a king and should not act like our government is above access by the people. Next time the protest should just stand in front of the white house. Lets see how many people they are willing to arrest protesting by their right to and I quote a somewhat important document :
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. “
Congress shall make no law
It appears some of those laws already exist… like the one to keep moving or the need to get a permit, just to demonstrate…
I think we should be allowed to walk right in the white house sit down in the oval office, sip some tea (or your drink of choice), and ask Bushey why hes an asshole. I know i’d love to
My First Time
by Cindy Sheehan
The rumors are true this time. I was arrested in front of the White House today. It was my first time ever being arrested.
We proceeded from Lafayette Park to the Guard House at the White House.
I, my sister, and other Gold Star Families for Peace members and some Military Families requested to meet with the President again. We again wanted to know: What is the Noble Cause? Our request was, to our immense shock and surprise, denied. They wouldn’t even deliver any letters or pictures of our killed loved ones to the White House.
We all know by now why George won’t meet with parents of the soldiers he has killed who disagree with him. First of all, he hates it when people disagree with him. I am not so sure he hates it as much as he is in denial that it even happens. Secondly, he is a coward who arrogantly refuses to meet with the people who pay his salary. Maybe the next time one of us is asked by our bosses to have a performance review, or we are going to be written up for a workplace infraction, we should refuse to go and talk to our bosses citing the fact that the President doesn’t have to. The third reason why he won’t talk to us is that he knows there is no Noble Cause for the invasion and continued occupation of Iraq. It is a question that has no true answer.
After we were refused a meeting with the Disconnected One, we went over to right in front of our house…the White House (in front of the gate of course) and we sat down and refused to move until George came out and talked to us. We actually had a good time singing old church songs and old protest songs while we waited. I tied a picture of Casey on the White House fence and apparently, that is against the law, too.
After three warnings to get up and move off of the sidewalk in front of our house, we were arrested. It is so ironic to me that the person who resides in our White House swears to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America. The person who is the (p)resident of the White House now has no concept of the Constitution. He was appointed by the Supreme Court for his first term, invaded and continues to occupy a sovereign country without a declaration of war from the Congress, and violated several treaties to actually invade, Iraq too. Not to mention the condoned torture that pervades the military prisons these days. These are all violations of the Constitution. The Patriot Act and denying us our rights to peaceably assemble are serious breaches of the Bill of Rights. George is so hypocritically concerned about Iraq developing a Constitution when he ignores and shreds our own Constitution.
Being arrested is not a big deal. Even though we were arrested for “demonstrating without a permit” we were protesting something that is much more serious than sitting on a sidewalk: the tragic and needless deaths of tens of thousands of innocent Iraqis and Americans (both in Iraq and here in America) who would be alive if it weren’t for the criminals who reside in and work in the White House.
Karl Rove (besides just being a very creepy man) outed a CIA agent and was responsible for endangering many of our covert agents worldwide. Dick Cheney’s old company is reaping profits beyond anyone’s wildest imaginations in their no-bid contracts in Iraq, Afghanistan, and New Orleans. John Negroponte’s activities in South America are very shady and murderous. Rumsfeld and Gonzales are responsible for illegal and immoral authorization, encouragement and approval of torture. Not to mention, violating Geneva Conventions, torture endangers the lives of our service men and women in Iraq. Along with the above mentioned traitors, Condi lied through her teeth in the insane run-up to the invasion. The list of crimes this administration has commited is extensive, abhorrent, and unbelievable. What is so unbelievable is that WE were arrested for exercising our first amendment rights and these people are running free to enjoy their lives of crime and to wreak havoc on the world.
The fine for “demonstrating without a permit” is $75.00. I am certain that I won’t pay it. My court date is November 16th. Any lawyers out there want to help me challenge an unconstitutional law??