By Force, Intimidation, and Threat
Of the hundreds of thousands of demonstrators who protested the United State's imminent invasion of Iraq "The St, Patrick's Four" have been singled out by the federal government as particularly dangerous. These four, Clare and Teresa Grady, Daniel Burns and Peter DeMott have been charged with conspiracy by force, intimidation and threat to impede an officer of the United States, criminal damage to property and trespass. If the government prosecutors are successful the four will face 8 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The government is particularly motivated in this case because the four alleged conspirators impeded the ability of a military recruitment office to solicit prospective applicants for military service. In a climate where recruitment quotas have not been realized and projections for the coming year are bleak, conspiracies designed to force recruitments further down cannot be tolerated.
The demonstration received coverage at the time in a small publication, The Catholic Worker and in the local press. The initial prosecution was unsuccessful after a local jury voted 9 to 3 to acquit. A federal prosecution will send a strong message to activists around the country that while marches and gatherings are a traditionally accepted form of demonstrating and will continue to be allowed, demonstrations aimed at recruitment centers will not be tolerated. There are very high stakes on both sides in this case; the four activists face 8 years in prison; the government risks the possibility of a "high profile case" that exposes a vulnerability it hopes to protect. It certainly would not do to have bloody recruitment windows all over the country.
The case comes to trial on September 19 and you can cut the irony with a knife; spilling blood to avoid the spilling of blood; spilling blood on the American Flag; the charges themselves could apply to the prosecution in a relevant context.
Of the hundreds of thousands of demonstrators who protested the United State's imminent invasion of Iraq "The St, Patrick's Four" have been singled out by the federal government as particularly dangerous. These four, Clare and Teresa Grady, Daniel Burns and Peter DeMott have been charged with conspiracy by force, intimidation and threat to impede an officer of the United States, criminal damage to property and trespass. If the government prosecutors are successful the four will face 8 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The government is particularly motivated in this case because the four alleged conspirators impeded the ability of a military recruitment office to solicit prospective applicants for military service. In a climate where recruitment quotas have not been realized and projections for the coming year are bleak, conspiracies designed to force recruitments further down cannot be tolerated.
The demonstration received coverage at the time in a small publication, The Catholic Worker and in the local press. The initial prosecution was unsuccessful after a local jury voted 9 to 3 to acquit. A federal prosecution will send a strong message to activists around the country that while marches and gatherings are a traditionally accepted form of demonstrating and will continue to be allowed, demonstrations aimed at recruitment centers will not be tolerated. There are very high stakes on both sides in this case; the four activists face 8 years in prison; the government risks the possibility of a "high profile case" that exposes a vulnerability it hopes to protect. It certainly would not do to have bloody recruitment windows all over the country.
The case comes to trial on September 19 and you can cut the irony with a knife; spilling blood to avoid the spilling of blood; spilling blood on the American Flag; the charges themselves could apply to the prosecution in a relevant context.
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