Minneapolis Afghanistan War Protest 12/2 The youth and others take over the streets

[annm4peace]

Run time: 09:36 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlxPLLeClDI   Posted on YouTube: December 03, 2009 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: December 04, 2009 By DU Member: annm4peace Views on DU: 866

 
"Starting in Loring Park, at the edge of downtown, marchers crisscross the city to show their disaproval of President Obama's Afghan War surge. I asked many along the way, "why are you here tonight?"
After over an hour of marching, an intersection would be blocked, and police would move in arresting about a dozen. "

By word of mouth, flyers, and a few websites the youth called for people to gather downtown for a march crisscrossing downtown. Mostly people under 25, were joined by Veterans, and other folks.

following the lead of the very incredible young people, who also brought along pumping music, energy, and righteous anger.

[Better Believe It]

1. K & R

[annm4peace]

2. Here is out the local Network Media covered the protest

There were 2 news helicopters over head for the whole 2+ hours. and there were 3 network news vans there since 4:45 even though we didn't leave the park to head downtown till 5:30pm

What a shame some of the local networks only showed a couple seconds of footage. They had interviewed Veterans, military families, Coleen Rowley, the youth.. yet hardly showed them.

Glad we have many independent media people, and THE UPTAKE allows them to post their videos.
BE THE MEDIA.

like usual, local FOX NEWS does the best job of the corporate media.
Anti-War Protesters Take Over Downtown
http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/dpp/news/Anti-War-Protesters-Downtown-dec-02-2009

11 Protesters Arrested After March Downtown CBS
http://wcco.com/local/11.protest.arrest.2.1346703.html


KSTP Story: ABC
http://kstp.com/news/stories/S1288143.shtml?cat=206

*******************************************************************

[annm4peace]

3. very telling picture by U of M's Daily newspaper

They used the horse patrol that is left over from the RNC, to block those seeing the protesters and to keep them in line. Seriously,, did they really need 10 horses for only 150 people?


http://www.mndaily.com/2009/12/03/anti-war-protesters-march-minneapolis-arrests-made


A contingent of squad cars and vans followed behind the protesters; they were flanked on the left by roughly 10 mounted police officers and on the right by a fluctuating number of police on bicycles. Although there were no apparent leaders, demonstrators at the front of the march said the haphazard route was intended to confuse police and disrupt traffic.

“ pretty much to interrupt the daily activities of Minneapolis — to stop the war machine as much as possible from our end,” said University of Minnesota senior and protester Iain Miller. “Really, there’s not much that the individual citizen can do anymore, but this is something, at least.”

There were roughly 12 voluntary arrests at the intersection of 10th Street South and Third Avenue South.

At around 6:40 p.m., protesters sat in the intersection, blocking traffic and holding a banner. Police declared the action an “unlawful assembly,” and a Minneapolis police officer used a squad car’s amplification system to order the demonstrators to disperse.

“If you do not do so, you may be arrested or subject to other police action,” he said. “Other police action may include the use of chemical agents and lethal munitions, which may cause injury to those who remain.”

Police declined to comment on the arrests.

Bryan Berry and Chris Cox, St. Paul residents, were two of the arrestees.

“People are dying for this,” Berry said. “We need to open our eyes and say that that’s not right.”

Police estimated that roughly 60 protesters continued marching after the incident. At one point, demonstrators blocked off traffic on Lyndale Avenue South near the Walker Art Center, backing up cars for about three blocks. The march ended at about 7:30 p.m. at Loring Park, where it started.

The march caused a mixed reaction among onlookers; some danced to the music the protesters played, while others screamed profanities.

“It’s an absolute hindrance,” Minneapolis resident Greg Merriman said. “It’s a sham to what the troops are doing over there.”

The group Direct Action to Stop War and Occupation was created solely to promote the march and worked for roughly a month and a half in preparation, said group member Sophie Smith.

“It seems like there’s a general discontent within the left about this surge and a sense of urgency about protesting it,” Smith said. “So there’s been a lot of great response from a lot of different kinds of groups.”

[slipslidingaway]

4. knr ...

my husband is there on business and mentioned this last night.

[roody]

5. good video and story here

http://twincities.indymedia.org/2009/dec/anti-troop-surge-protest-clears-streets-downtown-minneapolis-push-withdrawl-occupied-afghan

[wheresthemind]

6. hmmm

boy i marched in minneapolis in 2002 against the iraq war and this is not much of a turnout.

I have to say I have little sympathy with those who said they were deceived or surprised by Obama's actions. He was as clear as clear can be that he would be sending more troops to Afghanistan.