[PAA-Discuss] Anti-War Grannies Go To Trial

[Bill Crosier]

>From: Pokeyink at aol.com
>Date: Sun, 23 Apr 2006 12:28:59 EDT
>Subject: unusual trial
>
>Anti-War Grannies Go To Trial
>
>compiled from AlterNet, BBC, NYT, LAT and other sources...
>
>April 20, 2006
>
>A gaggle of peace-loving grandmothers are on trial in New York for 
>disorderly conduct. The 18 women, calling themselves the Granny 
>Peace Brigade, went to a New York military recruiting center in 
>October to enlist so that their grandchildren would not have to 
>fight. The event six months ago had the 18 showing up at the 
>recruiters office with pictures of their grandkids. Armed with canes 
>and walkers, the grannies so terrified the recruiting staff that 
>they locked their front door.
>
>The anti-war grandmothers began chanting, "We insist, we want to enlist!"
>
>With the door locked, the grannies sat down in front of the 
>building. And then the cops showed up and arrested the smiling, 
>polite old ladies. The grannies say they were not blocking the door, 
>but were attempting to alert an apathetic public about the war in Iraq.
>
>Prosecutors offered to dismiss the cases if they stayed out of 
>trouble for six months. The grandmothers nixed a plea deal before 
>going on trial.
>
>The defendants, some fragile, entered the small courtroom packed 
>with about 75 supporters. Some wore buttons that read: "Granny Peace 
>Brigade" and "Love the Troops, Hate the War." Some wore T-shirts 
>that said: "We will not be silent."
>
>Civil rights lawyer Norman Siegel argued that it was a purely 
>political prosecution because his clients didn't break any laws. 
>They didn't block any traffic on the sidewalk because they were only 
>gathered around a door, he said. And they didn't even block access 
>to the recruiting office, because a side entrance remained open, 
>unlocked and unblocked during the entire brief incident.
>
>Joe Wile, 74 years old, co-founder of the group, said "We feel 
>extremely heartbroken for all the young kids, American and Iraqi, 
>who are dying in this war."
>
>The war in Iraq "is wrong as all getout! And we're against it, and 
>we'll do whatever it takes, whatever we can do to stop it," Marie 
>Runyon, 91, said, waving her cane before entering the courthouse. 
>"Coming to this damn court is nothing compared to what is happening 
>to people in Iraq," she said.
>
>They were all charged on two counts of disorderly conduct, for 
>blocking the recruiting station door and refusing to comply with a 
>police order.
>
>The trial is expected to last several days. If found guilty, the 
>women could be fined $250 or sentenced up to 15 days in jail. Some 
>have said they will refuse to pay a fine, so will go to jail if convicted.

Bill Crosier
paa at crosierbiomed.com     713-641-4941
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