Operation No Recruits

DAILY REPORTS
FROM THE TIMES SQUARE RECRUITING STATION

 

Saturday, Sept. 8, 2007 — NYC WRL / Washington Heights Counter-Recruiters / Rude Mechanical Orchestra

At 8:30 am the NYC War Resisters League began blocking the front door of the yet-to-be-opened recruiting center. Shortly after, two counter-demonstrators ("Protest Warriors") came with large banner and American flags. [Several hours later a "Gathering of Eagles" woman joined them and screamed most of the time.]

At 8:45 am, two recruiters appeared and tried to enter the building but were rebuffed by the demonstrators. The recruiters called the police who showed up a few minutes later. They warned that those blocking the door would be arrested AND that we'd all have to leave the "military island." The police then brought in metal barricades to surround the island as well as setting them up across Broadway and across Seventh Ave.

The stand off lasted for an hour and a quarter before the three demonstrators were arrested (at 10 am) but the police allowed the rest of us to stay on the island as long as we allowed pedestrian traffic along the island. Immediately after the arrest, two recruiters entered the building.

[Photos below by Ed Hedemann—click on photos to enlarge]

  "recruit for peace" banner with recruiterscop warning demonstrators recruiters waiting to get in as demonstrators block door
Around 8:45 am, recruiters trying to enter the center. Mike Levinson, Carl Lindskoog, Mike Bucci blocking access to recruiting center. Two recruiters (left) blocked out.
demonstrators being read their "rights" turning away recruits potential recruit with older man
Being read their "rights." The second shift: Maureen Shea, Donna Gould, Ruth Benn, Vicki Rovere blocking the recruiting center. Turning away potential recruit with father (grandfather?).
Frida holds banner as demonstrators block entrance spectators counter-demonstrators
Frida Berrigan holding banner as demonstrators block entrance. Spectators across Seventh Ave. watching the demonstration. Counter-demonstrators
Rude Mechanical Orchestra kickline Rude Mechanical Orchestra with demonstrators
Rude Mechanical Orchestra. Rude Mechanical Orchestra and demonstrators in front of recruiting center. YouTube video by Tom Good
of the 10 am arrests.

[More photos by Tom Good/Next Left Notes and a video of Rude Mechanical Orchestra]

Then at 11:15 four women stood directly in front of door blocking access. The police came over to warn that they, too, would be arrested. Not long afterwards one, then another, of the recruiters left and no one else was arrested though we continued to block the entrance until 5 pm when we left. During that time several people tried to gain access but were prevented by our successful blockade. Consequently, the recruiting center was closed from late morning through the afternoon.

confrontation
Ruth Benn and Vicki Rovere (right) blocking the entrance as a recruiter and cop try to get inside.

The three arrested men were taken to Midtown South (35th St. btwn 8th & 9th Aves.) and released about 5 hours later with DATs (desk appearance tickets) charging them with "disorderly conduct." They are to be arraigned in court on Oct. 9.

During the rest of the day, we passed out 2,000 half-sheet flyers to the general public as well as several "It's Not Just a Job" brochures to men who looked like potential recruits. More than 30 demonstrators showed up during the day, not including the Rude Mechanical Orchestra who joined us around 3:30 and played for an hour. Their presence, besides being a lively addition to our demonstration and helping to drown out a screaming counter-demonstrator, attracted even more attention from passersby, allowing more leaflets to be distributed.

Monday, Sept. 10, 2007 — Catholic Worker / Kairos Community

Five of us arrived at 9:30 am.  Some recruiters had already entered the Center before we got there.  We decided to concentrate on the vigil without attempting to block the recruiting center door. By 10 am there were about a dozen people involved in the vigil. We surrounded the ramp area with signs and the banner,  with the banner on the B'way/east side of the ramp.  Four or five people were giving out leaflets throughout the island. There were no police on the island at this time.

Close to 10:30, photographers began to gather at the North end of the island, near 44th St. Word was going around the area that Roger Federer, who had won the US Open Tennis title the night before, was coming for a "Times Square" photo op. Matt thought that they would want the typical times Square shot, looking south with the 1 Times Square Tower, where the ball drops on New Year's Eve, in the background.  He suggested we move the WRL banner to the middle of the island, perpendicular to 7th Avenue and Byway, facing north,  at about the place where Federer would have to stand.

When Federer showed up a few minutes later,  we were right in the middle of their photo op. A mild confrontation began.  The organizers and some burly bodyguards came over to tell us we would have to move. Matt offered to negotiate. We would move if they would also take a picture of Federer in front of our sign. They offered an autographed picture of Federer if we would move. No deal. They turned Federer around facing uptown for their picture. We stayed where we were. All of this was done without any police involvement.

We learned something from this incident. As you move through Times Square toward 42nd St. Street, your eye is drawn toward the point where the ball drops on New Year's Eve. If you place the WRL banner across the island, in front of the recruiting center, facing north,  the banner is the whole focus of your vision and  the recruiting center is almost completely eliminated from your attention.

We kept the banner in this location for the rest of the day.  A sudden wind and rain storm came up about 2 pm. and almost carried the banner away.  We gathered up our vigilers and went home.

Submitted by Frank Lalley, Kairos. Photos (below) by Tom Martinez—click on photos to enlarge.

     
Roger Federer at recruiting center    
Roger Federer posing for photographers near the recruiting center.    

Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2007 — NYC WRL and friends

At 9 am two of us unfurled the main banner just north of the recruiting center. We were shortly joined by a third who leafleted. The recruiters were already inside but there were no counter-demonstrators and the police did not become an issue until about 1 pm. Generally, the day proceeded in shifts of 3 to 5 people. The second shift came on about 11 am and the third at about 2 pm. Because of the rain — sometimes very heavy — rain gear was essential and even then, we got soaked. At one point, a man came by and gave one of us a brand new umbrella.

One highlight of the morning was the peace march from Grafton, NY, stopping by for a half hour a little before 10 am. Among the 17 people on the march were a couple of Japanese Buddhist monks. All during the day, people (mostly tourists) would stop to take pictures of us and sometimes pose for the camera behind the banner. There were very few negative comments or gestures; people were generally very supportive.

Around 1 pm we were approached by several cops who said we needed a permit to stay on “the military island," as they called it. We stubbornly disputed that assertion and that, plus a heavy downpour, caused them to retreat. The beat cops didn't come back but after the rain we were joined by a dozen police cars parked on the island as part of an anti-terrorism exercise. None of the police mentioned the need for a permit for our banner and vigil.

For the next shift that came in at 2 pm, it rained only lightly or not at all. We gave out lots of literature (at least 1,000 of the half sheet flyers as well as "It's Not Just a Job" brochures) to a very supportive public. A man filmed and interviewed us for Argentinian TV, and also spoke to a woman who had joined us with her own sign. We were photographed by hundreds of tourists including several who wanted to be photographed linking arms with us.

Report by Ruth Benn, Ed Hedemann, Maureen Shea, Ron San Marchi.
P
hotos (below) by Ed Hedemann and Ruth Benn—click on photos to enlarge.

Grafton Peace Walk banner before the downpour banner in the rain
Grafton peace walkers stop by recruiting center. Steven Warshaw, Ruth Benn, and Bev Rice hold banner while leafleting. One of the downpours that drenched the banner and Ron, Steve, Bev, Vicki, and Kate.
line of police cars pigeons for peace
More than a dozen police cars line-up along the recruiting center island as part of a "security" maneuver.   “Pigeons for Peace” or “military recruitment is for the birds.”

Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2007 — Witness Against Torture

We were a small but visible presence at the Recruiting station beginning a little before 9 am. Witness Against Torture chose to focus on the issue of torture and indefinite detention at Guantanamo and elsewhere throughout the world under the so-called "war on terrorism."

demonstrator in orange jumpsuitWe distributed both the half sheet Operation No Recruits flyer and a factsheet about Guantanamo to a very interested public. Our "Shut Down Guantanamo" and "Stop the Torture" were made more dramatic by the constant presence of at least one (but through the afternoon two and three) person dressed as a prisoner at Guantanamo — wearing a black hood and orange jumpsuit. Many of the leafleters wore the orange "Shut Down Guantanamo" t-shirt as well, adding visual coherence that made our small group seem larger.

For the most part the response was positive. Many people took photos of the Guantanamo "prisoners" and many posed beside us. Australians and New Zealanders seemed particularly interested and supportive — many mentioning David Hicks, an Australian imprisoned at Guantanamo and recently released. Many people were inquisitive; asking questions about why we were there and what Guantanamo was . . . and more than one thought that we were really prisoners being guarded by Carmen Trotta.

demonstrator in orange jumpsuitNot everyone was so positive — and we heard a number of ignorant and hateful things. We only wish everyone could have read our factsheet before they responded with such vitriol.

While we stayed in front of the Recruiting Station for most of the day, we did move to the south side late in the day because Love Bites took over the triangle. The TBS television show did not want the orange jumpsuits in the frames. We gave them an inch and they tried to take a mile..... Once we moved to the other side of the station, the police tried to get us to go away completely arguing that IF we were 30 people, and IF we pushed people into the street, someone MIGHT get hit by a cab and while they had no problem with our political statements it was their job to keep mobs from blocking pedestrian traffic. Eventually, we were able to make them understand that we were SIX people and we would not create a bottle neck in Times Square.

Speaking of bottleneck, Love Bites decided that the whole north end of the triangle was not enough for them and they needed to film a crucial scene on "our side" of the triangle, creating a major traffic tie up.... and demanding that "Band Together" our bluegrass compatriots silence their banjo and fiddle combo when they come by.

While all of that was happening on our western flank, a large group of dentists converged on the eastern side of the corner — celebrating the fact that their dentistry network was now being traded on NASDAQ. They posed for many photos below the large NASDAQ light board sign announcing their good news, creating another major pedestrian tie up. Squeezed between these two traffic nightmares, we gave out many many leaflets and factsheets and continued to engage with those passersby not completely distracted by Love Bites and Dentists.

All of this took place on "National Encouragement Day." We were alerted to and nourished by this exciting day by a group of students who came by with boxes emblazoned with "Let's Encourage." Inside the boxes were a Butterfingers bar, malt balls and peanut butter crackers. Very Encouraging . . . September 12th was declared National Encouragement Day as a respite from . . . or counterpoint to . . . September 11th.

Report by Frida Berrigan. Photos (above) by Matt Daloisio—click on photos to enlarge

Thursday, Sept. 13, 2007 — CodePink / Granny Peace Brigade

CODEPINK NYC was joined by members of the Granny Peace Brigade, the Raging Grannies, Iraq Vets Against the War, Military Families Speak Out, Vets for Peace, and the YA-YA Network at Military Island in Times Square.

Eve-Lee and her team did a Congressional anti-war phone-a-thon, the Raging Grannies sang, Joan Wile lead a political puppet show, and Dana, Eva-Lee, Marie & Nancy, dressed as pink peace officers, taped off the recruiting center as a crime scene. The police came and ripped down the crime scene tape, but not before the whole thing was caught by a CNN camera crew (they were filming for about an hour and did lots of individual interviews).

Report by Nancy Kricorian. Photos (below) by www.Steve-Scher.com—click on photos to enlarge.

Code Pink in Times Square Code Pink on billboard
Officer Marie

Friday, Sept. 14, 2007 — Movement for a Democratic Society / World Can’t Wait
MDS and Tom Good
Tom Good (right) demonstrates with MDS banner. Photo by World Can't Wait.

Members of Movement for a Democratic Society SI/NYC and the World Can’t Wait lined the sidewalk in front of the Times Square Recruiting Station to demand an end to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as part of the War Resisters League (WRL) week long counter recruitment campaign known as Operation No Recruits.

MDS demonstrator
Military Families Speak Out demonstrator calling for Bush's arrest. Photo by Tom Good/Next Left Notes.

The two groups gathered at the Recruiting Station at 9:00 AM and held their ground for several hours, picketing, leafleting and urging passers by to put an end to the Pentagons assembly line of death by saying NO to recruiters. Standing before the longtime symbol of American militarism, the protestors carried signs that read “Arrest Bush for Murder”, “War on Poverty, Not on People”, “U.S. Out Now”, and appealed to the bustling midtown crowd to “protect your children from recruiters” by handing out NYCLU Opt Out forms. Reporters from several local news channels including CBS and WPIX were on hand to report on the highly visible demonstration.

For videos and more photos, go to Next Left Notes

Saturday, Sept. 15, 2007 — Green Party of Brooklyn / Park Slope Greens

Green Party at Recruiting StationWhen the first wave of the Green Party group arrived at the recruiting station at 9 am, they found that the island was completely inaccessible due to preparations for a large concert. The police allowed them to stand behind the recruiting station. The good news was that once again the recruiting station was shut down. The Green Party group was made up of members of the Green Party of New York State from all around the city including The Green Party of Brooklyn, The Park Slope Greens, the Bronx Greens, The West Side Greens, and the West Queens Greens. Green Party at subway entrance

After about 2 hours behind the recruiting station, the group decided to move to 42nd Street facing the traffic and in front of the major train station. We felt that more people would see us in this location since the area behind the recruiting station was not visible to traffic and not a pedestrian destination. After we settled into the new location, we were able to have a very visible presence and handed out a very large quantity of literature. The weekend crowd has more American tourists than the weekday crowds and once again we were reaching out to a lot of people who were surprised that New Yorkers do not have a knee-jerk bomb bomb bomb reaction to the memory of 9/11. We had some interesting conversations and may have changed some people's minds.

Green Party banner closeupOne of the highlights of the day was a visit from Jared Ball, a Green Party presidential candidate who came up from Maryland. The Green party will hold a convention later in the election cycle to select the party's candidate for president, so currently Jared Ball is running a Green Party Presidential Nominee Campaign. According to Free Speech Radio News, he is the first hip-hop presidential candidate. Dr. Ball is a U.S. Navy veteran who served during Desert Shield/Desert Storm and witnessed the environmental devastation of the war. He calls for the immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq and Afghanistan and an end to mass incarceration as economic, political and social policy (i.e., slavery).

Maureen SheaOur focus was to educate people about the dangers of depleted uranium both to the soldiers and to the Iraqis and call for banning the use of depleted uranium. This was news to many of the passersby, so we feel that this is an issue which we will have to keep working on.

Report by Maureen Shea.
Photos by www.Steve-Scher.com—click on photos to enlarge.


NYC War Resisters League • 339 Lafayette Street • New York, NY 10012
(718) 768-7306 •
nycwrl@att.net