Again, MN makes Michael Moore's website.

[annm4peace]

See the protesters on michaelmoore.com before it is taken down. Very impressive.

One of the grandmothers arrested told me tonight that there was just as many cops as there were protesters.. some in SWAT gear. Guess they are getting ready for the RNC.

I told her if the take out their tasers, I'm taking off my shirt so I can visually shock them !


March 27th, 2008 5:54 pm
More than 200 students rally on campus against Iraq War


Sixteen people were arrested for offenses stemming from the protest.

By Courtney Sinner, Anna Ewart / Minnesota Daily

More than 200 University students joined Students for a Democratic Society on Thursday for a rally and march around campus, meant to mark the five-year anniversary of the Iraq War. Other groups joined in, putting their own spins on the event.

Sixteen protesters were arrested, Minneapolis Police Sgt. Jesse Garcia said.

The two-hour protest started at the Coffman Union and wrapped around campus, down University Avenue and ended at Washington Avenue and Ontario Street.

At 1:48 p.m., the Anti-War Committee sent the Daily a news release saying 13 protesters had entered the National Guard recruiting office on Washington Avenue, "disrupting its recruitment functions and refusing to leave."

Police arrested 12 protesters at that office for trespassing, a misdemeanor, Garcia said.

"They had taken over the second floor and hallway of the building, and had been warned a few times," Garcia said, adding that there didn't appear to be any property damage.

Police from the University, Minneapolis and St. Paul were on hand to assist in crowd control, on bicycles and on horseback.

At an Army recruiting office across the street from where the arrests were made, Macalester students gathered to shut down the center. Student protesters used bike locks to chain themselves to the facility's doors.

About 10 Macalester students chained themselves to the center's doors and wouldn't speak to media or police.

Joe Schweigert said he came to show support for his fellow Macalester students.

"Especially after five years, it's important for dissident opinions to come forward," he said.

Schweigert said closing the center for one day probably wouldn't result in big changes, but added that it was "a very important figurative gesture."

"The fact that there are kids willing and able to sit out here says a lot," he said.

SDS member Tracy Molm said the Macalester chapter's demonstration was a separate action, but that the two groups had been in contact about the events.

"We support each other, but we planned to keep a sense of time and space separation," Molm said.

Students for a Democratic Society applied for a protest permit, and stuck to their route around campus, University Police Chief Greg Hestness said.

There have been protests like this one for the last three years, he said, adding that three years ago, between 800 and 1,000 people protested.

Police duties also centered on traffic control as the group moved through the streets. Traffic in both directions on Washington Avenue, between Oak and Ontario streets, was shut down briefly.

Police officers on bicycles followed the protest as it blocked off portions of University and Washington avenues, but did not attempt to stop marchers.

"You pick your battles," Hestness said.

Two years ago, police arrested six students after they threw red paint on the Washington Avenue Army recruiting office during an anti-war protest. At the same protest last year, police made no arrests.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

1. I saw the demo going through the U campus on the #16 bus

They were spilling over into the street, and yes, there did seem to be an excessive number of cops.

I gave them a thumbs up through the bus window.

[Kayakbiker]

2. I wanted to attend

but I had a nasty case of the flu. I'm glad City Pages and the local TV stations covered the story.