Opponents of Iraq War Hold Global Protests and Civil Disobedience

Police Attack Anti-War March in Vestal

By Joe Licentia

March 18^th-20^th – Protests and civil disobedience against the war in Iraq, including at least three demonstrations in the Binghamton area, were held across the world to commemorate the anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. In San Fransisco demonstrators shut down a regents meeting of the University of California and dozens of streets. Over 1500 students in the Portland area walked out of school in opposition to the war. In Milwaukee opponents of the war shut down a major intersection in the city's business district. Students for a Democratic Society organized protests and civil disobedience on over 90 campuses across the United States. Over 250 people worldwide were arrested as a result of anti-war actions.

The objective of these protests was not solely to show public opposition to the war but also to disrupt “business as usual.” By disrupting commerce and activities related to the war it increases the social costs of the war to the government and their corporate backers, both literally and by making it harder for the government to maintain control over the population. Public opinion has been against the war for several years but the war machine has ignored it. The only way to end the war is use disruptive tactics to force the government to withdraw from Iraq.

On Binghamton University the Binghamton Political Initiative and the Experimental Media Organization/Student Action Collective organized an anti-war march on March 18^th. The demonstration began at the fountain near library tower and ended with a series of speeches next to the new union. At the front of the march activists carried a large banner with the slogan, “From Stolen Native Land to Iraq, Occupation is Murder.” Roughly 150 people attended the rally.

At the end of the march between 60 and 80 demonstrators decided to perform civil disobedience by marching on Vestal Parkway, thereby increasing the costs of the war to the power elite by disrupting commerce. One of the speakers specifically stated that this second march was not sponsored by BPI or EMO/SAC. Some members of BPI and EMO/SAC did choose to participate in the march on Vestal Parkway, just as some members chose not to participate, but the march was not sponsored by either organization.

Marchers successfully blocked both eastbound lanes while marching from the university to Vestal Plaza. At no point did demonstrators attempt to block either of the westbound lanes. For most of the march police simply followed from behind and did not interfere with it. A significant portion of both rallies included opponents of the war from outside the university, including a contingent from Veterans for Peace.

At the end of the march, as demonstrators were leaving the streets and entering Vestal Plaza, the police chose to violently assault it. They began arresting people on an apparently random basis. Most of those arrested were already off the streets at the time of their arrest; several were manhandled and violently thrown to the ground. Demonstrators began chanting “shame on you” and other slogans, demanding the release of their comrades. A total of 9 people were arrested, including 4 graduate students, 4 undergraduates, and 1 non-student. None of those arrested were read their Miranda rights. One person specifically asked the police if he was going to be read his rights and was told, “what do you think this is, a movie?” Despite rumors to the contrary, none of the protesters assaulted police nor has anyone been charged with assaulting a police officer.

Police also used pepper spray indiscriminately on the crowd. One officer moved his pepper spray left and right while firing so as to maximize the number of demonstrators hit by it. Another officer pepper sprayed a demonstrator at point blank range while holding her in a headlock. One demonstrator was arrested while sitting on the ground attempting to recover from being pepper sprayed. When he asked why he was being arrested he was told, “because you were pepper sprayed” and then threatened with further pepper spray. The police refused to provide any of those pepper sprayed with medical attention until arriving at the police station.

There were two accidents on the parkway in the period after demonstrators left the parkway. Both occurred in the westbound side of the parkway, which protesters never blocked. Demonstrators did not cause either accident. Ironically, the police assault had the effect of increasing the amount of time the eastbound lanes were blocked because the police and their cars were in the middle of the road for much of the attack.

Police released six of the arrested/kidnapped demonstrators within a few hours without bail. They arbitrarily singled out three other arrested/kidnapped demonstrators for harsher treatment, probably because the police thought they were leaders. The police transferred them to the Broome county jail and set bail at $500 each. Activists bailed them out that evening, the earliest police would release them.

The next day, in the city of Binghamton, Broome County Peace Action held another rally against the war. This rally involved neither civil disobedience nor police brutality, but participants in the rally told news media that they had no objections to civil disobedience and were fine with the march on Vestal Parkway. Binghamton Mayor Matt Ryan was one of the participants in the rally and told the media that he, too, has no objection to civil disobedience.

Some have criticized the march on Vestal Parkway on the grounds that it was inconvenient for motorists and wasted taxpayer money. The war in Iraq is far worse than the minor inconveniences or costs caused by the march. This objection is racist because it is based on the assumption that inconvenience to American motorists is worse than the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis. Those who condemn the march on Vestal are effectively aiding and abetting the war. Talking about the war will not end it. The government doesn't care what the people think, the only way to make it withdraw from Iraq is to force it to withdraw. Only resistance can end the war.