Dozens Arrested Outside IRS (War Protesters)

[ReformedChris]

Source: WTOP

Dozens Arrested Outside IRS
March 19, 2008 - 9:44am

WASHINGTON - At least 33 people have been arrested in anti-war protests in D.C. Wednesday. The protests mark the fifth anniversary of the Iraq war.
Police made the arrests at the Internal Revenue Service as demonstrators crossed barricades and blocked the front and side entrances to the building. The protesters were chanting "This is a Crime Scene" and "You're arresting the wrong people."

At 13th and L Streets, WTOP's Kristi King reports laid down in street. They were carried to the curb by police.

Police also stopped protesters who tried to connect their bicycles together with a chain.

At 12th Street and Constitution Avenue, one frustrated driver got out of his small, red, four-door car and physically moved a bicycle that a protester had put in the road. The driver then waved traffic on until police arrived.

It's expected that the protesters will block traffic by dancing in the street at K Street near 14th Street Wednesday afternoon.

Other anti-war protests and vigils are planned throughout the day.




Read more: http://www.wtopnews.com/?nid=25&sid=1368458

---

Guess standing up to tyranny is a good way to get arrested by a supposed nation of freedom these days...

[fascisthunter]

1. Shows How Terrified They All Are of Us

[Seeking Serenity]

4. What does? (n/t)

[fascisthunter]

5. Of the Anti-War Movement

or they wouldn't have to go to such extreme lengths to shut us down. I thought that would be self-explanatory.....

[Seeking Serenity]

6. What extreme lengths?

Arresting people who block public rights-of-way? Where's the extremity?

[fascisthunter]

8. I Figured You Were on the Other Side

for asking such a stupid question. Yes.... extreme abuse of power and you are for it.

As if you gave a shit about rights.

[Seeking Serenity]

10. Public rights-of-way belong to the public

not just the protesters. If you break a law, you can expect to be arrested. Y'know, it is possible to hold an effective protest without breaking the law.

I swear, modern-day protesters think they should be able to protest in any fashion they deem fit and yet suffer no consequences for any of their actions, as if the First Amendment provides them a cover from any violation of law.

It doesn't, y'know.

(edited to correct typo)

[fascisthunter]

11. Yuh... whatever. Your CONCERN Has Been Noted

Like I said... you don't give a shit about rights. Go peddle your Orwellian crap with someone else.

PS - they are so frightened they hang out a progressive forums telling us all how to behave.

[Seeking Serenity]

12. What rights exactly have you divined that I don't care about? (n/t)

[fascisthunter]

13. blah, blah, blah, blah (nt)

[Seeking Serenity]

14. Refused to answer. Duly noted. QED (n/t)

[fascisthunter]

18. stupid and transparent... go enlist

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

48. I think the point here...

is that when you commit an act of civil disobedience, you have no right to be indignant that you found yourself under arrest. That's pretty much the point, isn't it?

Henry David Thoreau went to jail. So did Martin Luther King. The difference is they didn't bitch and moan about it.

[proud2BlibKansan]

63. Who is bitching and moaning?

[Patriot Abroad]

69. .

:popcorn:

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

70. Post #8

"Extreme abuse of power"

I'm just saying that if you intentionally break the law in an act of civil disobedience, you shouldn't be shocked that you got arrested. That's pretty much the whole point of the exercise. Unless the police were physically abusive, I don't see the cause for angst here.

[proud2BlibKansan]

72. Well while you all are having this discussion, I am actually in DC

and I personally witnessed cops shoving protesters and definitely crossing the line. I witnessed one officer reply, when asked for his badge number, "It's none of your fucking business"

I am replying here from my phone while I wait for a friend to be released from police custody. I still have no idea why she was arrested.

So yes, the cops in DC have definitely crossed over the line here today and I believe the complaints are more than justified.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

85. And I would be in complete agreement with you...

Peaceful protesters should be treated with courtesy by the police. It's what keeps those protests peaceful -- when the police ratchet up the tension, things get out of hand.

[Hissyspit]

17. You are an idiot

The point was to get arrested. I was on the mailing list for this protest. The point was to get arrested.

"modern day protesters think... blah, blah, blah."

What have you done to try to stop the war?

[fascisthunter]

19. Blah, Blah, Blah is all that poster is worthy of

could you imagine our forefathers listening to his dribble? He'd be laughed at, then probably tarred and feathered.

[KansDem]

34. I don't think our forefathers would have lied us into a war...

Our forefathers gave us the right to speak freely and to redress government. The protesters were exercising those rights.

Perhaps "muddleofpudd" doesn't like their approach, but that's the way it is. IMHO, the protesters should have placed citizens' arrest on all the occupants of the White House, but then, would the police have followed that "lawful order?" I doubt it.

edited for clarification...

[fascisthunter]

38. .

I don't think he really cares about "how", but what they are doing in principle... protesting the war and doing so in a way that flies in the face of most authoritarians. People like him should be thankful its being done so peacefully.

[Seeking Serenity]

22. If the point was to get arrested, then why is anyone complaining that protesters

are being arrested or using the fact of such arrests as symbolic of something more sinister?

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

I'll tell you what I haven't done to stop the war: break an otherwise valid law. Because such is a pointless, meaningless gesture.

I have protested, you bet. But I keep my side of the street clean.

[Hissyspit]

25. Let's see... Legal protests have been called pointless, meaningless gestures.

Now an illegal protest has been called a pointless, meaningless gesture.

Damned if they do, damned if they don't.

[fascisthunter]

26. Do You Like Hearing Yourself Fish for Contradiction

nobody is complaining... just stating a fact that pro-war cowards are afraid of the anti-war crowd and use "law" to shut down dissent. Yet lying to the American people to get the country into an ILLEGAL war to steal oil from another country should be dismissed. But my oh my.... block and entrance is... breaking the law. Your argument is a joke and so is your disingenuous concern.

[Seeking Serenity]

31. One illegality does not justify another illegality.

That's the argument of a 14-year-old: Georgie broke the rules, why can't I?

And the legally constituted authorities are not using law to "shut down dissent." They are using law to arrest the protesters who are violating the law. If the protesters would protest without blocking streets and entrances or other such tactics, there would be no arrests and then the protesters could dissent all they want.

It's not the dissent getting them arrested, it's the violation of law concomitant with their dissent that gets them arrested.

You sound like you are an anarchist. Richtig?

[fascisthunter]

36. psssst..... It's Called Civil Disobedience

The cops are being authoritarian. You chose a side. You sound like someone who supports the war and hides behind phoney reasoning to bash war protestors.

[Hissyspit]

39. Oh, brother. And to think I was feeling bad about calling you an idiot.

An anarchist! Oh, horrors!

It we let the anarchists out, something horrible might happen! Like:

Torture
Millions displaced.
Children orphaned.
Brain injuries.
Limbs missing.
Americas's standing destroyed.
$3 Trillion down the drain.


Leave the Constitution ignored and undefended, but at least there's no litter and no one has to drive a block around in a city you can't get around in anyway!

You have gone beyond absurd.

[Hissyspit]

29. Photos: Citizens being arrested, citizens not being arrested.

Vets being arrested.

Street looks clean in all of them.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=3032800&mesg_id=3032800

[LanternWaste]

32. Who interprets the validity of the law?

"I'll tell you what I haven't done to stop the war: break an otherwise valid law."

Who interprets the validity of the law? You-- or the Courts?

[Seeking Serenity]

41. Laws are deemed valid until help invalid by a court.

You want to challenge a specific law by violating it and trying to get a court hold that law unconstitutional (see the Civil Rights lunch-counter sit-ins to protest local laws requiring segregation of places of public accomodation), then violating that law is a necessary act. It gives you standing to challenge the law.

Violating a law that has nothing to do with what one is protesting is just a violation of the law. I know you're not trying to claim that laws against blocking public rights-of-way is unconstitutional, yes?

[LanternWaste]

59. I made no such implications. If you infer it that way, that's on you.

"I know you're not trying to claim that laws against blocking public rights-of-way is unconstitutional, yes?"


I made no such implications. If you infer it that way, that's on you.

There were numerous street/work stoppages during the civil rights protests. Stoppages which included, but were not limited to blocking public thoroughfares.

Although blocking those particular streets had squat to do with equal opportunity, but I maintain the validity and the righteousness of the action.

[proud2BlibKansan]

64. Who besides you is complaining?

[uppityperson]

57. I posted some other protest pictures, please check them out

There is at least 1 that you will like I think.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3233889#3234404

[proud2BlibKansan]

82. Here are pictures Hissy

from this morning.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikehear/sets/72157604164597874/show/

[Popol Vuh]

46. SCAB Mentality

So are you saying that the protesters are not "the public"?

Your logic sounds like you'd cross a labor picket line and work as a scab.


:thumbsdown:

[Seeking Serenity]

47. Sure they are, but . . .

So are you saying that the protesters are not "the public"?

Sure they are, but they are not the only public. Their rights stop where others' begin.

Is the protester's right to protest by laying down in a public street of greater value than the person who needs that public street to get to work or do his job? No, of course not.

[Popol Vuh]

50. Like I said

You have the mentality of a SCAB. I suppose you also disagree with Martin Luther King and the civil rights movement when they were blocking traffic with their demonstrations. It sounds like you would have been a loyalist back in the day.

[uppityperson]

56. "modern-day protesters"? Bwahahahahahaha Here's some pictures for you of lawbreakers

[proud2BlibKansan]

62. And the criminal in the White House?

Is it okay with you that he is not being charged with war crimes?

[Ahpook]

66. I suppose it depends on what laws you break in America?

Otherwise the people that started this whole mess would be locked up as well?

It's getting severe, people are pissed and few are listening.

It's about time to start raising a little more hell.

This has to stop:(

[Zhade]

78. Yes, protest within legal limits works wonders.

If he'd followed your advice, MLK would have failed.

Thank goodness he had more courage than you.

[Mike Daniels]

58. I'm pretty sure that blocking the entrance/exits into buildings and access to roads

is against the law.

But keep going with your delusions.

[proud2BlibKansan]

65. So is murdering innocent people

and invading innocent countries.

[flashl]

2. K&R nt

[liberal N proud]

3. Crime scene...

The protesters were chanting "This is a Crime Scene" and "You're arresting the wrong people."

[maseman]

7. People cannot block public roads

Obviously there are a number reasons including safety why people are not allowed to block a road. Police, ambulance, firetrucks, etc. in addition to other services need to be able to pass the roads.

My brother is a policeman and has had to deal with protestors (not in DC.) He says they can do whatever unless fully blocking public roads or harassing people.

The workers at the IRS are not to blame for the war...the fucking people at the White House are.

[OKthatsIT]

40. The IRS = BANKSTER POLICE...Banks are just as responsible

for WAR, if not totally behind the funding practices for war. This country has always fallen prey toBankster cointelpro tactics.

The politicians need the cash and the Banks want their piece of the budget pie.

IRS forces The People to pay, like it or not. It's a scam.

[lovuian]

53. Our tax money have been stolen by thieves under the pretext

that its WAR

:patriot:

[The Doctor.]

68. Nonsense. The IRS doesn't get to spend the money it collects, congress does.

[OKthatsIT]

93. Well no duh.

The IRS are the extortionists for the Banksters. How's that for 'softer'?

[Hissyspit]

54. Arrests were made outside of the American Petroleum Institute, too.

Do you get that connection?

The March of the Dead will begin at Arlington Cemetery at 9:30 a.m. at the Womens' Memorial. (The DC Metro blue line stops at Arlington. The Memorial is to the right after you exit. Leave enough time for travel). We will leave from there in a single file, slow, solemn procession and proceed toward the city, stopping at the nearby site of the war memorials to read the names of the dead for five minutes, in recognition of five years of illegal occupation of Iraq. We then continue on our route which will take us past the State Department, where we will also pause, to create an "Endless" War Memorial in protest of a foreign policy that perpetuates wars of aggression and occupation. Next our route will take us through the K Street corridor, where we pass the offices of many of the war profiteers and will expose, through our presence, the horror of the human cost of a war waged for oil and wealth. Our procession through the streets of DC will continue until @12:00 p.m.. when we arrive at McPherson Square, at 15th and K Street NW where we will break for an hour. Others who want to join can meet us here. McPherson Square Park is a permitted, staging area for the day where other events will be taking place.

The March of the Dead will converge again at 1:00 p.m. meeting at the White House. We are asking people to come together wearing their masks as they approach the area, so we will be coming as the dead from all directions toward the White House. We will begin a walking meditation in a circle in front of the White House to demonstrate the tragic and continuous suffering unleashed by the policies of this administration. From there, we will weave our way through the city to the site of the Justice Department where the names of the dead will be read as evidence of the crimes that have been committed by this administration. At @3:00 p.m. we will break again.

[John Kerry VonErich]

73. There's another reason why not to block roads

From what I was told, there are a group of wackos which I think was dubbed "protest mowers" who will hit and run if the protesters block the road. That roadblock tactic is deadly now.

[proud2BlibKansan]

79. Who told you that?

Cause I haven't seen anything like that all day long.

[John Kerry VonErich]

83. Was actually a local news story a several years ago.

One guy is serving 20 years for consipracy by trying to plan this. When it comes to this, just gotta be vigilant. You never know whom he may have contacted or has the same idea.

[proud2BlibKansan]

84. So it wasn't today

[John Kerry VonErich]

95. Nah

Just given heads up. Didn't mean to confuse you.

[OKthatsIT]

94. From what you were told?

I think if you put a little effort, maybe look that up? What you're saying just isn't true. If it were true, many of us would know about it.

[John Kerry VonErich]

96. Here is one video of the same situation that was followed through

http://www.evilchili.com/mediaview/16013/Man_Runs_Over_Anti_War_Protestors_With_His_Car

[Ordr]

9. Pointless.

[Hissyspit]

15. Symbolic. n/t

[Ordr]

16. Maybe.

[Hissyspit]

20. I love how Americans have been the enablers of the biggest war crime of the new century

up there with Darfur, and then sit around and opine and criticize people who are willing to do something, people who risk their safety, not knowing whether it will do any good or not, but they do something, and Americans sit around saying, 'oh, well that's just not done, you know,' or 'that's just silly.'

Those protesters will always be able to say "I TRIED." What will the rest of America say?

[Ordr]

21. I agree.

However, they did a shitty job with their protest. If they had done it in a legal manner they could have had far more people see it and possibly become influenced. They failed.

[Hissyspit]

23. No. The media deliberately ignores these protests. The legal protests

on the weekend have been ignored. The illegal protests during the week have been ignored. It is not the protesters fault that our country and media is so dysfunctional.

[John Kerry VonErich]

75. I 100% agree with you.

:toast:

[ReformedChris]

24. Home Run Post! I admire and respect ALL those who stand up and protest. They can go to the grave..

knowing they did everything in a citizens power to stand up for what they believed was unjust. The rules of the game have been changed enough since Vietnam to minimize and punish any true mass protesting. Imagine if Abby Hoffman tried some of his stuff today? They probably would have had him marginalized and eliminated.

[tomg]

44. I think that you summed up the

motivation of those being arrested eloquently in the words "Those protesters will always be able to say "I TRIED." What will the rest of America say?"

At the same time, in all fairness to muddleofpudd, s/he is raising a very valid issue ( I don't say point, because it seems to be a hasty generalization) where s/he said upthread that "modern-day protesters think they should be able to protest in any fashion they deem fit and yet suffer no consequences for any of their actions," which was prompted by fascisthunter's comment that the arrests were "an extreme abuse of power." The police were doing their job. The protestors, as you pointed out, were doing theirs. I think muddleofpudd was raising a legitimate issue, even if I disagree with him/her about the efficacy of civil disobedience.

It has been years ( 37, in fact) since I faced serious jail time for a moral and politial stance involving civil disobedience. In the past 37 I have, like most here, been active in the anti-war and other progressive movements, but not in any way in which I have faced jail. I am beginning to think that it is time to do so again. I honestly don't know but if I do, I know I won't do it with the same motivation that I had when I was 20-21.

Nothing those protestors do will end the war. The war will end when Obama or Clinton is in the White House. Those who are facing arrest today, and who faced arrest this past fall ( and everyone before and in between and to come) are really bearing witness in a very profound way and, as you say, they will always be able to say they tried.

[Seeking Serenity]

45. Thank you. Perhaps I wasn't clear enough initially, and it just turned south from there.

And I don't doubt, in certain cases, the efficacy of civil disobedience, as the lunch-counter sit-ins will bear witness. I do have my doubts if these examples will have efficacy (of course I could be wrong -- wouldn't be the first time, nor would it be the last).

However, if a protester believes it is the only way to make his point and is willing to accept the consequences for his law-breaking, then more power to him.

Just don't complain when the police do their jobs.

[tomg]

49. That was my take. nt

[Hissyspit]

55. "modern-day protesters think they should be able to protest in any fashion they deem fit and"

"yet suffer no consequences for any of their actions"

I see no support for this statement.

I did not comment at all on whether the police should make arrests.

I was commenting on the overt and implied ignorance of the purposes of the protestors.

[tomg]

60. I think that you can see from my

initial post that I strongly agree with your overall point. What I was trying to suggest was that muddle, in replying to fascisthunter and in generally making that point that you cite above, was addressing the "abuse of power" issue that fascisthunter had initially raised.That was all. In fact, I did say that I felt that muddle's point about modern-day protestors seemed to be a hasty generalization. I was just trying to chain things back.

It seemed to me that it turned ad hominem pretty fast, when, generally speaking, there was grounds for discussion. My "that was my general take" was a response to muddle's "perhaps I wasn't clear enough initially."

I don't think you and I have any grounds for serious disagreement. I certainly hope not because I think we are pretty much on the same side regarding civil disobedience, and as I said, I think your simple statement summed it up.

edit: typo

[proud2BlibKansan]

67. Again, who is complaining?

I see you complaining but no one else. So who are you referring to when you mention people complaining? Did I miss something?

[lyonspotter]

61. Thank You Hissyspit and Others for...

doing symbolic marches and protests. And to all the content creators, video makers, writers, bloggers, that are against this war.

My small "content" contribution is on this video where I compared Bush and his fake pseudo-version of Christianity to what Christ actually taught about peace and love:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8xufsr2log

Peace come to us.

[John Kerry VonErich]

74. Problem is, in this day in age..

Symbolism doesn't cut it anymore. Just gets tossed in the garbage w/o recognition.

[LanternWaste]

33. I imagine many people...

I imagine many people think the protests during Viet-Nam were pointless also.

[AlphaCentauri]

27. No more tax money for wars n/t

[GoddessOfGuinness]

35. Maybe we should take our "rebate" and invest it in the anti-war movement.

[AlphaCentauri]

37. Not a bad idea!

[GoddessOfGuinness]

42. Could the donation would be tax-deductable?

Hmm...

[AlphaCentauri]

43. mmmm maybe

[proud2BlibKansan]

80. Send it to UFPJ or AFSC

I know that AFSC is a tax-deductible donation but I am not sure about UFPJ.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

87. From UFPJ's website...

Tax-Deductible Donations

Donations of *$100 or more* are tax-deductible if your check is made payable to our 501 (c) 3 fiscal sponsor, the A.J. Muste Memorial Institute. Be sure to specify "UFPJ" on the memo line.

Mail your check to UFPJ at P.O. Box 607, Times Square Station, New York, NY 10108.

Please note: All donations less than $100, as well as all online donations and credit card donations by phone are not tax-deductible.

Yikes! I'm cringing at the post you replied to! I started writing one thing, rephrased it, and didn't look it over very carefully. :blush:

American Friends Service Committee is a good idea too; but shouldn't be confused with the Armed Forces Services Corporation, which has the same initials. Not that I'm opposed to that organization...I just feel that bringing our troops home safely should be our top priority.

[seriousstan]

28. A crowd of more than a hundred gathered outside the IRS headquarters, chanting ..

A hundred? THIS IS HUGH!!!!!!!! I get 16 people at a euchre party.

[proud2BlibKansan]

81. And what have you done to help end the war today?

Played euchre?

[Kingofalldems]

89. What has he done to end the war?

Mock people who dare protest. The guy is a repub,in case you haven't figured it out.

[proud2BlibKansan]

90. Yeah I figured that

:)

[Hissyspit]

30. PHOTOS of protests and arrests:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=3032800&mesg_id=3032800

[what0now0toons]

51. 5 years of war, and still counting.................

Today marks the 5th year of a war we were lied into and an occupation that many decry as Illegal. Four years ago, we were told that America was in grave danger from Iraq. We were told that Iraqis had weapons of mass destruction and were close to achieving nuclear technology.
The Bush administration linked "9/11" to "Iraq" so many times that 70% of Americans believed Saddam Hussein was responsible for the 2001 attacks on the Pentagon and World Trade Center.
We were told lies then, and we're being told lies now.
I've devoted my weekly political cartoon to this illegal occupation, it's up on my website now.
www.whatnowtoons.com

[Catchawave]

52. Yay, civil disobedience ! It's what got coverage today !

Peaceful protests are boring to the media, but as soon as those guys started crossing the barricade and the nylon cuffs came out.......MSNBC had their cameras rolling LIVE ! BREAKING! ALERT!

[John Kerry VonErich]

76. My prediction...

The media will might force the hand of uncivil disobedience IMO (yet not a good way, but it's looking to head towards that direction.)

[crimsonblue]

71. We need to keep allowing ourselves to get arrested...

Now bear with me... If people are continuously arrested for civil disobediance, then eventually the police will either: A) give up and stop arresting the protestors, or B) get violent. Either way, we win. It makes me sad to say, but it may be necesarry for people to sacrifice their lives so that we can open the eyes of America. Or maybe Bush will just claim them all as enemy combatants and ship em off to Gitmo.

[John Kerry VonErich]

77. Two things to think about

on your A point, if they give up and stop arresting, that leaves, wide open, the oposition to take the law into their own hands, outright warfare in my view. And on the B side, I highly doubt the cops would get violent since they learned from history, with the exception of a select few.

[proud2BlibKansan]

92. Yes the cops did get violent today

Just saw several scenes on the local news here in DC of cops beating on protesters. Plus I witnessed them being violent today.

[lanlady]

86. I work in the IRS building--

--and they pretty much told everyone to stay home or work in an alternate location today.

I thought the protest should have been held in front of Treasury instead--they're the ones who actually spend the money. IRS just collects it and has nothing to say about whether your money goes to Iraq or Timbuktu.

But hey--any day away from that humongous dismal building is a good day.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

88. You're a peach!

:hug:

[proud2BlibKansan]

91. Thanks for understanding

Hope you have an uninterrupted work day tomorrow.