Posted on 03/21/2007 8:20:20 AM PDT by MotleyGirl70
Some predict violent protest may be sign of things to come
One day after 21 people were arrested during a demonstration that vandalized a U.S. Army recruiting office on Milwaukee's east side, Wisconsin peace activist groups on Tuesday said some protesters might increasingly turn to destruction as their frustrations mount.
 Violent Protest |
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Photo/Rick Wood It's the third time in about two years that Doug Mack, a glass installer for T&L Glass, has had to replace broken glass at the Army recruiting office on Oakland Ave. Mack replaced the glass Tuesday. |
| Related Coverage |
 Editorial: Protest just plain juvenile
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Monday night's violence was an anomaly, said Judy Miner of Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice, who noted protesters were peaceful at dozens of demonstrations, marches, rallies and vigils held Monday throughout the state.
"That's what impressed me," said Miner. "People have been very respectful of the fact that violence doesn't get us anywhere."
Nine of the adults arrested Monday were from Milwaukee, six were from West Bend and one each from Waukesha, Wauwatosa and Madison. Arrested were: Kelsey M. Kazik, 20, Sara Keiza, 17, Jillian Duckwitz, 21, Richard A. Ketcham, 22, Thomas P. Buckholt, 17, Andrew L. Ortlieb, 24, Kathryn E. Jacobs, 20, Keith Crum, 20, and Andrew Smart, 19, all of Milwaukee; Craig R. Barringer, 20, of Waukesha; Jonathon W. Wilson, 17, of Wauwatosa; Amy M. Barger, 19, Jessica L. Brooks, 18, Derek W. Johnson, 17, Nathan J. Bartelt, 20, Jeffrey G. Lavato, 18, and Kyle Sawson, 21, all of West Bend; and David W. Clerkin, 21, of Madison. The three juveniles were not named.
Johnson, of West Bend, denied participating in any vandalism.
"I wanted to protest military recruiting in our schools and the war itself," Johnson said. "A recruiting office seemed, symbolically, like an important place" to protest, he added.
Johnson said that he regularly attends Thursday afternoon meetings of a "radical discussion group" at the West Bend library and that Monday's protest was discussed at last week's meeting.
"We were under the impression going there that it would be a peaceful protest," Johnson said. "We knew it would be loud and boisterous, but we didn't know there would be vandalism."
Regarding a police report that human excrement was smeared on the recruiting center, Johnson said he wasn't aware of such vandalism.
Kazik, of Milwaukee, said she expected a peaceful march and didn't support those who damaged the recruiting center.
"I think the only people out of the group who even knew there was going to be violence were those who were involved in it. It did absolutely nothing for the cause we were marching for," Kazik said.
Peace Action Wisconsin does not condone violence, said the group's project organizer Julie Enslow, but some anti-war protesters might feel the need to be violent to get their point across.
"We do not use those tactics ourselves, but the movement is very broad, and as this war continues, the anti-war movement is going to take many forms - not all of which everyone feels comfortable with," Enslow said.
An anti-war rally at O'Donnell Park on Saturday drew a large crowd that listened to several speakers, including U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Milwaukee), before marching to the Reuss Federal Plaza, Enslow said. The peaceful gathering contrasted sharply with the arrests Monday night at the Army recruiting center near the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee campus, where protesters broke a window and threw smoke bombs, paint and human excrement, police said. There were no injuries reported.
Pat Grobschmidt, public affairs officer for Army recruiting in Milwaukee, said no one was in the office at the time.
"Soldiers defend the right of all Americans to peacefully express their point of their view. We're dismayed that their actions are anything but peaceful," Grobschmidt said.
The 21 protesters, including the three juveniles, were arrested on charges of disorderly conduct, said Deputy Police Chief Brian O'Keefe. The adults were given municipal citations and ordered to return to court at a later date. The protesters ranged in age from 13 to 24.
Police were called to the recruiting station at 3133 N. Oakland Ave. around 8 p.m. Monday. Grobschmidt said there have been protests at the center in the past and prior vandalism, though she did not know the last time it had been vandalized.
Gus Sorenson, government relations director for Wisconsin Paralyzed Veterans of America, said the violent protest might be a sign of things to come as the Iraq war enters its fifth year.
"I would like to think cooler heads would prevail and they would find a better way to channel some of that energy, but I don't think that's going to happen. I think it's going to get worse," said Sorenson.
Outside the recruiting station Tuesday, three orange and white barricades were on the sidewalk next to piles of broken glass. One window was covered by a glob of blue paint, and a glass door had a spider web of cracks.
Donna Brooks acknowledged that her daughter was a member of the West Bend library discussion group and was arrested at the protest. Her daughter's group did not plan for the vandalism, she said.
ping
Sounds like these "peace activists" are no better than the terrorists."
Same part of the country where tires were slashed on buses taking voters to polls.
Same part of country where students gleefully proclaimed that they had voted many times- many more than once.
These cretins have no sense of rules. I doubt that they have ever supported themselves, and I hope that they end up with a felony record.
That will show up every time they apply for a job, and the employer can see what they might get for an employee. I for one sure would NOT be hiring them. Their names would go on the wall in my Personnel dept wall and look like the 10 Most NOT Wanted.
Hell in Milwaukee, they will probably be elected to the school board.
The increasingly popular "slacker rage" defense.
Peace activists are the most violent people I know. I worked in Peace Studies for 9.5 years and they are loony tunes. The people they brought in to speak were loony tunes.
You see these people were so gosh darn frustrated...why, they just had no other choice. It was just a spur of the moment thing you know. Because we all carry paint and feces to a protest...just in case.
The Journal editorial said: "This was a mob masquerading as a peace movement, making the job all the harder for those working more realistically for U.S. withdrawal from Iraq." http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=579976
Translation: Quit doing things that slow down the surrender process.
A TV station reported that a few high school students were present (not clear if they were some of the arrested). I'm sure they got extra credit.
I'm betting the Second Civil War is getting closer and closer. This time, it WILL be short, since one side has all the guns, ammo and military experience, and the other side has a passionate, blinding hatred of logic. I know which side I'm going to be on.
And forty year old memories of getting off a 707 at Travis AFB in the early morning, and riding a bus that went to Treasure Island and then to SFO...
I see Silky Pony's "Two Americas" is in effect. One for the Leftists, in which they can do no wrong, and another for the rest of us, who can be prosecuted for hate crimes for so much as looking at someone wrong.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
"Your Honor, I'd like to enter a plea of 'Frustrated'."
"Noted. I hereby summarily dismiss this case and all pending charges. You are free to go."
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