Vets Arrested Trying To Remove Peace Display

Milwaukee Channel.com ^ | Nov.12, 2005 | AP

[radar101]

Five veterans were arrested and taken to jail Thursday night after ignoring police orders not to touch flags planted by an anti-war group.

The five were charged with criminal trespass after they attempted to pull up the 2,000 white flags in Waterville, Maine's Veterans Memorial Park. The flags represented the 2,000 U.S. soldiers killed in the war in Iraq.

The group Waterville Area Bridges for Peace and Justice called the display an important visual reminder of the lives lost.

Waterville Police Chief John Morris, who is a Vietnam veteran himself, said the group had a legal permit to place the flags in the public park.

The veterans said the flags were planted in "sacred ground."

Morris said, "I spoke to them as a veteran and suggested that legitimate veterans' organizations do not resort to civil disobedience to make their point. I warned them, very carefully, that they were not allowed to do destructive behavior on these flags. If they did, we would have to ask them to leave the park. If they refused to leave the park then we'd have to arrest them, and that's what happened."

The five veterans were booked at police headquarters and released after paying $40 to the bail commissioner.

[BIGLOOK]

Property damages, offensive flags removed.....$10
Bail for 5 vets........$200.
Satisfaction......Priceless!

[Liberty Valance]

I don't care what the so called peace activists say.
White flags will NEVER represent America's Military.
That includes Veterans, those who have died for their Country, those who currently serve or those who just aren't born yet. Anyone who would dishonor any of our brave fighting Soldiers in such a way is a traitor and a coward.

[radar101]

WATERVILLE -- Veterans Memorial Park, located at the corner of Elm and Park streets, has a rich history, having originally been a cemetery for veterans of the American revolution. About 1852, when Pine Grove Cemetery was established on Grove Street in the South End, bodies -- with the exception of Asa Redington's and others -- were exhumed from the Elm Street cemetery and moved to Pine Grove, according to historians. Redington, one of the founding father's of the city, enlisted three times in the Revolutionary War and was a member of George Washington's elite honor guard. The Elm Street site later was home to Coburn Classical Institute, a college preparatory school that enrolled students from all over the country. Built in the 1800s where the current Elm Towers is now located, the school burned down on Feb. 23, 1955. Former Maine Gov. Abner Coburn in 1851 had donated buildings for the institute. The site became known as Coburn Park. In 1999, the park formally was dedicated as Veterans Memorial Park. Swayed by a large turnout of veterans in 1998, the City Council had voted to change the name of the site to commemorate the area's war veterans. The name change was requested by 1,100 members of the Bourque Lanigan American Legion Post 5, of Waterville. The American Legion and Waterville Area Exchange Club worked together on a project to install a flag pole and monument at the site, which is illuminated at night. Originally the first burying grounds in Waterville, the park has three antique canons and several monuments honoring veterans of the Civil War, World War I, World War II and the Korean and Vietnam wars THANKS FOR FINDING,POSTING THIS!

[sgtyork]

The Veterans who rest in that Cemetary are the ones with the rights in this case. They EARNED the right to lie under the flag they fought under.

[Let's Roll]

"Allowing anti-war activists to post flags in a Veteran's Memorial is like allowing the KKK to post crosses at a Martin Luther King memorial. "

Excellent analogy.

[downtoliberalism]

...The five veterans were booked at police headquarters and released after paying $40 to the bail commissioner...
-----

Well worth it to send those libs a message of our own.
Veterans serving our country once again.

[RadioAstronomer]

I agree. I earned that right as well.

[DJ MacWoW]

but what WE fought for was the right for those people to place those flags.

You fought to give people the right to undermine your Country during a war?!

[RadioAstronomer]

No I fought for freedom.

[DJ MacWoW]

No I fought for freedom.

Bless you for that but what they're doing with their protest is undermining your sacrifice. We are at war and they are cheering for the other team with their actions.

[RadioAstronomer]

Fair enough. I recant my earlier position upon further reflection.

Sorry all.

[geopyg]

--"Redington, one of the founding father's of the city, enlisted three times in the Revolutionary War and was a member of George Washington's elite honor guard."--

How fitting. I wonder if this group had been around in 1780 if it would have been any different: George Lied and People Died. This war isn't about freedom - it's about money and taxes. No more Blood for Money. And George even has slaves - how can HE talk about Freedom? And where are the boots and warm winter clothes for our troops? He doesn't care that they are supplied. Bring our troops home now. England never was really all that bad, we were just fine until ...blah...blah...blah.

[MARKUSPRIME]

I believe you are a troll and the almighty ZoT should be called in.

[RadioAstronomer]

Coming from a newbie. Oh this is rich! LOL!

[DJ MacWoW]

I believe you are a troll and the almighty ZoT should be called in.

And I think you need some prozac.

RadioAstronomer is one of the good guys. You I don't know.

[Guenevere]

Then where is your discernment?

Why can't you see the difference between freedom of speech.....

...and deliberate denigration of our military dead?

Your answer surprised me....I didn't expect it from you!

[RadioAstronomer]

Thanks. I spoke in haste earlier in the thread. Wish I hadn't now.

[DJ MacWoW]

Coming from a newbie. Oh this is rich! LOL!

Yeah. I posted to him after I quit laughing.;)

[DJ MacWoW]

Thanks. I spoke in haste earlier in the thread. Wish I hadn't now.

I know. Freepers bite. Hard.

[festus]

The five were charged with criminal trespass after they attempted to pull up the 2,000 white flags in Waterville, Maine's Veterans Memorial Park.

Shoulda just posed as the lawn crew and run em all over with a riding mower......