By KATRINA PLOTZ
April 11, 2007
PULSE
For additional photos see CircleVision.org
At 5 p.m. on April 3, traffic came to a halt in front of Senator Norm Coleman’s office on University Avenue in St. Paul. But this was no ordinary rush hour. Orange cones, barrels and barricades had stopped vehicles in their tracks. But this was not a construction zone. Twelve people stood in the road. Two faced eastbound traffic and unfurled a banner reading, “The United States: A Roadblock to Peace.” Two others held a banner informing westbound motorists, “This Is What Occupation Looks Like.” Seventy-five supporters stood on the sidewalk holding signs. They all chanted antiwar messages in 30-degree weather as snowflakes swirled in the frigid wind.
Meanwhile, 12 people sat inside Coleman’s office reading the names of American troops and Iraqi civilians killed in the war. While fellow activists refused to leave the street, they refused to leave the office. The Anti-War Committee organized the outdoor protest while the indoor sit-in was planned by the Twin Cities Peace Campaign. Together, the two-part event lasted nearly three hours and was covered by both major newspapers and three television stations, however sketchy the coverage was.
As the Iraq War enters its fifth year, it’s worthwhile to consider a startling statistic. Since March 2003, over half a million Iraqis have been killed, according to a study conducted by Johns Hopkins University. The number is based on an extensive survey of Iraqi households that solicited information about all deaths, violent and nonviolent, that occurred since the war began. After comparing the number of deaths to the average mortality rate under pre-war conditions, researchers concluded that 655,000 people have died in Iraq that would still be alive had the U.S. not invaded their country.
Ninety percent of the “excess deaths” were violent. Untold numbers of Iraqi civilians have been killed by U.S. soldiers who are trained to shoot first and ask questions later (or never). Thousands have been killed by U.S. air strikes and tank fire. Others were victims of the sectarian conflict that naturally arises when civilians must choose sides between the occupiers and the resistance. For centuries, colonial powers and occupation forces around the world have intentionally incited ethnic hostility to keep populations divided and, therefore, unable to unite and achieve national liberation.
The “nonviolent” excess deaths were the result of the horrific conditions imposed by military occupation: accident victims dying in ambulances detained at checkpoints, patients languishing in overcrowded hospitals until they die from otherwise treatable ailments, children dying from malnutrition and disease after drinking contaminated water. According to Iraqi-American Sami Rasouli, an eyewitness who recently returned from Najaf, “Iraqis awaken every day anticipating a blind date with a brutal death.” Daily life under military occupation is a nightmare.
The protesters who occupied University Avenue sought to draw attention to the realities of war and occupation by imposing an inconvenience on unsuspecting commuters. Some motorists showed their displeasure by yelling obscenities. Others left their cars and tried to remove the obstacles. A few aggressively confronted the protesters with their cars. At various times, several activists had to gather in front of a vehicle, hands on the hood, eyes staring down the driver to keep him from going forward. Demonstrators were not deterred by the angry reaction of a few.
“People have to wake up and accept responsibility as citizens of a country waging an unjust war,” said Sabry Wazwaz, who led chants via bullhorn from the sidewalk. “We showed people a fraction of what occupation is like for Iraqis, but they weren’t in any danger. They didn’t have machine guns pointed at their heads.”
While some protesters stood their ground in the street, others passed out flyers explaining the purpose of the action to those stuck in traffic. The flyer highlighted the “roadblocks” and obstacles Iraqis face as well as the toll the war has taken on Americans. As of April 8, 3,282 U.S. troops have been killed and almost 25,000 have been wounded. Over $500 billion has been spent on the war. Yet most Americans don’t think about these realities often because they don’t feel directly affected.
“It’s too easy for people to pretend there’s not a war going on,” said Erika Zurawski, who helped block the road and was later arrested. “We need to draw more attention to the war by making it part of Americans’ daily lives.” Police eventually arrived and began arresting those in the street while the crowd continued chanting. By the time the last protester was removed from the street, traffic had been delayed for 45 minutes.
The 12 arrested ranged from teenager to senior citizen and included activists with a variety of experience levels. Kate Percuoco had never participated in civil disobedience before, but felt compelled to step up her activism. “Often, our voices go unheard, our signs go unread and our actions are hidden from the mainstream,” she said. “This was an opportunity to force people to see us and to creatively demonstrate what many Americans want: troops out of Iraq now!”
Jake Smith, a 15-year-old freshman at Mound Westonka High School, welcomed the opportunity to boldly stand against the war. “I’ve been to demonstrations but I wanted to do more,” he said. “We should openly refuse to cooperate with a war being fought for corporate greed.” As Jake was handcuffed, his mother, Koren Walsh, looked on from the sidewalk. “I was so proud of him,” she said. “As a mother, I can’t imagine watching my son go to war. It was great to see him doing battle for what’s right.” Those arrested were driven to police headquarters, issued tickets for obstructing traffic and released. They were promptly picked up by supporters and driven back to Coleman’s office where a spirited rally was still in full swing.
As they pulled into the parking lot, a group of 50 people were chanting, “What do we want?” U.S. Out! When do we want it? Now!” They had just been cleared out of the hallway outside the office and police were about to arrest the 12 protesters that remained inside. They kept chanting until the last person was led away. Then, they shared what had taken place while the first group of arrestees was detained. “The energy was still really high so we went inside to support the people in the office,” said Anh Pham. “We kept chanting. Kids from “Hip Hop Not War” performed. The McDonalds (Catholic nuns, biological sisters and longtime peace activists) led us in song. People gave impromptu speeches about why they’re against the war. It was amazing.”
Those in the office were taken to the police station, issued citations for trespassing and released, bringing the total to 24 arrests. Tom Bottolene, an arrestee from the office, explained the reason for the protest location. “U.S. policy in Iraq has failed, yet Norm Coleman continues to support the war. He needs to get in step with the majority of Minnesotans who want the war to end.” Steve Clemens, who attended a meeting between demonstrators and a Coleman aide, explained the necessity of an immediate troop withdrawal. “Our leaders are sworn to uphold the Constitution and to defend the nation from threats. But Iraq was no threat to us and this war has nothing to do with national security,” he said. “Eighty percent of Iraq’s oil has been privatized. This is a war of aggression for power and resources, and the current military budget is obscene. It prevents us from investing in real national security by improving wages, health care and education.”
The Anti-War Committee and the Twin Cities Peace Campaign considered the protest a huge success. One participant called it “the best demonstration in five years.” They vowed to keep up the pressure on lawmakers to bring the troops home, and to keep educating the public about the costs of war. They plan to organize civil disobedience again in the future. According to longtime activist Sarah Martin, “There can be no business as usual while Iraqis and soldiers continue to die in this horrendous war.”
