Civil Disobedience: anti-war activists plan to disrupt daily activities if war breaks out

San Jose Mercury News ^ | 2-25-2003 | Dana Hull

[EvilOverlord]

Civil disobedience ANTI-WAR ACTIVISTS PLAN TO DISRUPT DAILY ACTIVITIES IF WAR BREAKS OUT By Dana Hull Mercury News

More photos (EUGENE H. LOUIE / MERCURY NEWS )

Malcolm Moore, 45, Tristen Schmidt, 36, Amy Champlin, 32, practice non-violent protest tactics in Berkeley.

If U.S.-led forces attack Iraq, anti-war activists in the Bay Area and around the world have ``emergency response'' plans to immediately blockade federal buildings, shut down commuting arteries and disrupt the financial districts of major cities with massive protests and non-violent civil disobedience.

Many organizers have kept their intentions under wraps so that police and officials at U.S. military bases and large corporations will be caught off-guard. But drafts of some plans have already appeared on Web sites, and intensive training sessions covering everything from ``non-violent blockades'' to ``jail solidarity'' tactics are under way.

Civil disobedience implies the refusal to obey certain laws, and has a long history in the United States and abroad. But protest tactics have evolved in recent years, aided by the coordinating powers of the Internet and by strategic tactics designed to foil police.

Instead of staging docile sit-ins, some demonstrators now link hands by putting their arms through pipes and handcuffing their wrists together. Anti-globalization activists have developed attention-getting stunts such as scaling buildings.

[pgkdan]

Berkeley manages Los Alamos, Lawrence Livermore and Sandina National Labs.

Geez! That explains alot!

[dts32041]

Naw she backed over the little people, I advocated driving start ahead and looking where you are going.

Using proper sight alignmnet and breathe control.

[PRO 1]

Let us all go out and by one of those quart sized cans of pepper spray and do a drive by.

HE HE

[michigander]

You can just about take your pick.

US Code
TITLE 18
PART I
CHAPTER 115 - TREASON, SEDITION, AND SUBVERSIVE ACTIVITIES

[L,TOWM]

Louisville Slugger served me quite well when I was in the SF Gay, er, Bay Area during Gulf War I. Idiots blocked off the Golden Gate Bridge two days before the friggin war started. Took me four hours to get to a business appointment in Ukiah (normally two hour drive).

[Contra]

I will wager they will not try this stuff in the South.

[finnman69]

Break out the tear gas, batons, and the firehoses. The unwashed need a bath.

[zeaal]

>>>...disrupt the financial districts of major cities <<<

This is exactly binLaden and AQ's goal, and now probably Saddam's, to shut down the U.S. economy. The antiwars are playing right into their hands to assist in this goal.

[Spruce]

Don't forget the DOGS!

[L,TOWM]

Did you get caught in any of the Bridge shutdowns during Gulf War I and the Rodney King crap in '92? I did. It was pretty sad. CHP standing around with their, ummm, sticks, in their hands not doing anything. I told one CHiPer that I would clear off a lane on the bridge with my car, and that I was sure I could four other volunteers to clear out the other lanes and the clymer threatened to arrest me.

[Travis McGee]

Putting baseball bat in trunk...

Roger that!

[finnman69]

THE SEDITION ACT OF JULY 14, 1798

An Act in addition to the act, entitled "An act for the punishment of certain crimes against the United States."
SEC. I Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That if any persons shall unlawfully combine or conspire together, with intent to oppose any measure or measures of the government of the United States, which are or shall be directed by proper authority, or to impede the operation of any law of the United States, or to intimidate or prevent any person holding a place or office in or under the government of the United States, from undertaking, performing or executing his trust or duty; and if any person or persons, with intent as aforesaid, shall counsel, advise or attempt to procure any insurrection, riot. unlawful assembly, or combination, whether such conspiracy, threatening, counsel, advice, or attempt shall have the proposed effect or not, he or they shall be deemed guilty of a high misdemeanor, and on conviction, before any court of the United States having jurisdiction thereof, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding five thousand dollars, and by imprisonment during a term not less than six months nor exceeding five years; and further, at the discretion of the court may be holden to find sureties for his good behaviour in such sum, and for such time, as the said court may direct.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That if any person shall write, print, utter or publish, or shall cause or procure to be written, printed, uttered or publishing, or shall knowingly and willingly assist or aid in writing, printing, uttering or publishing any false, scandalous and malicious writing or writings against the government of the United States, or either house of the Congress of the United States, or the President of the United States, with intent to defame the said government, or either house of the said Congress, or the said President, or to bring them, or either of them, into contempt or disrepute; or to excite against them, or either or any of them, the hatred of the good people of the United States, or to excite any unlawful combinations therein, for opposing or resisting any law of the United States, or any act of the President of the United States, done in pursuance of any such law, or of the powers in him vested by the constitution of the United States, or to resist, oppose, or defeat any such law or act, or to aid, encourage or abet any hostile designs of any foreign nation against the United States, their people or government, then such person, being thereof convicted before any court of the United States having jurisdiction thereof, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding two thousand dollars, and by imprisonment not exceeding two years.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, and declared, That if any person shall be prosecuted under this act, for the writing or publishing any libel aforesaid, it shall be lawful for the defendant, upon the trial of the cause, to give in evidence in his defence, the truth of the matter contained in the publication charged as a libel. And the jury who shall try the cause, shall have a right to determine the law and the fact, under the direction of the court, as in other cases.

SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That this act shall continue and be in force until the third day of March, one thousand eight hundred and one, and no longer: Provided. That the expiration of the act shall not prevent or defeat a prosecution and punishment of any offence against the law, during the time it shall be in force.

JONATHAN DAYTON, Speaker of the House of Representatives.

THEODORE SEDGWICK, President of the Senate, pro tempore.

APPROVED, July 14, 1798:

JOHN ADAMS, President of the United States.



..........................

too bad it expired in 1801.

[mvpel]

I may wind up coming face to face with these jokers since I can lanesplit on my motorcycle. Time to get myself a pepper-spray fogger, just in case.

[Exeter]

Q. Would you strike a man who won't hit back?

A. Actually, I prefer it that way...

[kcar]

What would a taser do if they are all connected by hands and metal?
Curious, that's all.

[tracer]

From their reported plamns, it sounds as though these traitors and I will be crossing paths very soon.

I can hardly wait to see if they try to lay hands on me or to otherwise interfere with my "daily activities"....

[CaptainJustice]

I have no problem dealing with traitors to my country. I'm just gonna swing my bat like this while walking forward. If they get in my way, its their own fault.

/Simpsons

[gura]

Where can I get some CS Grenades? :-)