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News :: Media |
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US Army Bloody Birthday Celebration |
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by Jonny
Email: jonnyrebellious (nospam) gmail.com (verified) |
15 Jun 2005
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The US Army took over part of the Cambridge Common with an elaborate celebration of its 230th birthday. Activists demonstrated against military recruitment, the Iraq war, and global US military violence.
Members of the Boston Direct Action Project took part in the demonstrations. Three of them took part in a theatre piece representing victims of the Iraq war. Pat was dressed as an American soldier in blood-drenched fatigues with a sign that read "Killed in Iraq, no more birthdays for me." Matt was dressed as an Iraqi man, with a kaffiyeh and a bloodied robe. His sign read "Killed by US troops, no more birthdays for me." Kelli dressed as an Iraqi with a headscarf, robe and a bullet wound in her head. Her sign read "Liberated." The three walked around solemnly, showing the real effects of the military hardware that was on display in the Common.
Three other activists wore birthday hats and blew on noisemakers, parodying the birthday revelry. They were covered in fake blood and had signs reading "Happy Bloody Birthday. They chanted "Happy Birthday Imperialist Army!" and "More Blood for Oil!"
If the people organizing or attending the event missed either set of bloody figures, they probably did not miss one zealous activist who, during speeches, was yelling, “Don’t believe the lies! He’s lying!” He was quickly approached by police and told to be quite or he would be arrested.
Although the Cambridge Common is a public space, the Army birthday celebration was barricaded off and there was a heavy police presence. After ejecting demonstrators from the celebration area earlier, police did not allow others who looked like protestors to enter the enclosed area.
Unwilling to accept this, Pat and Matt hopped the barricades. They were quickly grabbed by several police, and Matt was thrown through an opening in the barricades. Pat was roughly thrown over the barricades by three officers onto the ground, landing on his side. Undeterred, Pat jumped over the barricades again. He was grabbed and arrested. While the police were arresting Pat, Matt jumped over the barricades and made for the stage. He was tackled by plainclothes police, handcuffed, and carried out of the park.
About thirty minutes later, Kelli, who was playing the Iraqi woman and Caroline, who was covered in blood with a birthday hat jumped over the barricades and started towards the stage, also in defiance of being shut out. They were tackled by police, arrested and carried away.
All four were charged with disturbing the peace at the Middlesex District Court. They were arraigned and released on their own recognizance with the three other demonstrators who were arrested earlier that day. Their next court date is set for July 15.
SEE MANY MORE PHOTOS:
http://boston.indymedia.org/newswire/display/38614/index.php.
http://boston.indymedia.org/newswire/display/38602/index.php |
See also:
http://bostondirectactionproject.blogspot.com
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This work is in the public domain |
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re. Adolfs Nazi pep rallys |
by Falluja
(No verified email address) |
15 Jun 2005
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Great work Boston Direct Action! It was great to see an organized affinity group with a plan in action. Thanks for disturbing the war with dangerous theatre. |
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Re: US Army Bloody Birthday Celebration |
by Amatul
(No verified email address) |
15 Jun 2005
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thast picture is epic.0
many kudos and Props to BDA! |
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Re: US Army Bloody Birthday Celebration |
by Stanley
tattooguy1975 (nospam) yahoo.com (unverified) |
27 Jun 2005
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About the blood for oil thing...
There are far better arguements than this. Really, it makes the anti-war crowd seem stupid. Logically, a business who wanted oil and a president who was ready to spend billions on a war would probably just spend those billions buying oil instead. The arguement cheapens what is really happening. There are much deeper reasons than some percieved illogical greed. Organization of ideas would better serve the movement. |
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Re: US Army Bloody Birthday Celebration |
by in response
(No verified email address) |
18 Nov 2005
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Quite frankly, I this war is based on the premise of keeping Iraq under control in order to reap the benefits of it's natural resources. Look at the history of the relations between Colonialism and the present philosophy of neo liberalist capitalism in the United States. Do you see any similarities? They have used the same tactics- justifying their actions as humanitarian, the creation of phantom international power (U.N), and the creation of diplomatic sounding intitutions used in the exploitation of periphery countries (International Monetary Fund, World Trade Organization and World Bank).
Incolncluion, they are exactly the same thing except that Colonialism was state run and primarily used the military as their source of control. Neoliberalism is not only state run but is run through the revolving door between conglomorates and government officials, it is the groomed version of colonialism. The companies have become such a large foce behind lobbying, media control and the elections that you cannot oppose them. Futhermore, government officials, right up to Dick Cheney, have been and will go back to working in these companies. So, what is good for the companies is good for them.
There for, we can maintain, that the government is indeed in Iraq for resources.
gotta love sociological world systems theory- check it out it's good reading. |
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Re: US Army Bloody Birthday Celebration |
by Veteran
(No verified email address) |
18 Nov 2005
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Support the troops and have a great week end! Stay warm! |
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Re: US Army Bloody Birthday Celebration |
by in response
(No verified email address) |
18 Nov 2005
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you better believe I will. |
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Re: US Army Bloody Birthday Celebration |
by in response
(No verified email address) |
18 Nov 2005
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(bit of cynicism) |
