anti war

On Sunday, November 8th, Beth El Synagogue in St. Louis Park hosted former Secretary of State, National Security Adviser and oil company apparatchik Condoleezza Rice; Twin Cities Indymedia got footage of Rice attacking the Goldstone Report which exposed Israeli war crimes in Gaza.

Members of Beth El's congregation protested the offensive invitation for months, only to get refused access to the congregation newsletter and board discussions. Women Against Military Madness (WAMM) led the organizing of an anti-torture protest outside.

During the action, Beth El security and the police attempted to demand the protest relocate away from the nearest public sidewalk into a so-called "FIRST AMENDMENT AREA" because Beth El had obtained its own protest permit from the St Louis Park police, apparently a 'covert op' of sorts. (The police didn't indicate if free speech still existed in other 'areas'.) On two occasions beforehand the police refused to return calls about any possible permits, then they attempted to spring this setup on WAMM, merely proving further the hopeless corruption and futility of the entire demonstration permit system itself. Of course profits were involved for Rice, who netted cash from the high-price event. Below: more videos, photo stills, detailed notes on Rice's speech, and the fight inside Beth El.

On April 23, hundreds of people participated in protests at 5 military recruitment centers across the Twin Cities. An anti-war demonstration was also held in front of the ROTC office at Mankato State University. The following day, students from Macalester College took direct action at a recruiting center near the University of MN campus. The 7 total actions were part of the Anti-War Committee-initiated Zero Recruitment Day. Objectives were to protest the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, expose recruiter lies, and disrupt the business of recruitment using a diversity of tactics. The series of actions featured several arrests, intense confrontation, funny tricks, and quick getaways. The following are reports and photos from all groups that took action on April 23.

Related: Live TCIMC Updates from April 23

Article and photos from Friday lockdown from Chris Steller/MNIndy

Mid-afternoon: The lockdown has still been going on with no police or recruiters on the scene; the Army and Navy stations have been shut down by Macalester SDS all day!

9:50am: U of M recruiting station still locked down.  Police were there but are no longer on the scene.  Support still needed.

9:00am, Friday April 24: And it goes on! Lockdown at Oak-Washington recruiting station by UMN campus.

Zero Recruitment Day saw at least five significant actions at military recruiting stations throughout the Twin Cities in addition to an action at the campus ROTC in Mankato.  In Brooklyn Center, four activists locked themselves to a station, disrupting business for over half the day.  Three Grandmothers for Peace were arrested after trying to enlist in St. Louis Park; afterwards, supporters continued to disrupt business.  At Lake and Lyndale in Minneapolis, a full day of action culminated in a redecoration of the recruiting station there, leading to a bizarre spectacle of fire trucks.  Actions also happened in West St. Paul and the University of Minnesota, where a lengthy rally closed the recruiting station there, while College Republican counter-protesters held signs--many racists and advocating torture--nearby.  TCIMC's dispatch is now off-line; read below for a play-by-play and check back for video reports in the next few days!

Free Political Graphics ready to use in upcoming RNC convention actions. (And DNC too!)

Perfect for printing your own stickers or buttons, or use the graphics on your own fliers, posters, placards, banners, patches, t-shirts, etc.

Click here for a gallery of thumbnails:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/know-our-enemy/sets/72157606684467129/

If you like these graphics or end up using one, please leave a comment on the Flickr page or send email to friend@know-our-enemy.net

More posters ready to print can also be found at:

http://www.know-our-enemy.net/

Peace!