Two Lockdowns, Seven Actions, Eight Arrests for "Zero Recruitment Day"

Article and photos from Friday lockdown from Chris Steller/MNIndy

Mid-afternoon: The lockdown has still been going on with no police or recruiters on the scene; the Army and Navy stations have been shut down by Macalester SDS all day!

9:50am: U of M recruiting station still locked down.  Police were there but are no longer on the scene.  Support still needed.

9:00am, Friday April 24: And it goes on! Lockdown at Oak-Washington recruiting station by UMN campus.

Zero Recruitment Day saw at least five significant actions at military recruiting stations throughout the Twin Cities in addition to an action at the campus ROTC in Mankato.  In Brooklyn Center, four activists locked themselves to a station, disrupting business for over half the day.  Three Grandmothers for Peace were arrested after trying to enlist in St. Louis Park; afterwards, supporters continued to disrupt business.  At Lake and Lyndale in Minneapolis, a full day of action culminated in a redecoration of the recruiting station there, leading to a bizarre spectacle of fire trucks.  Actions also happened in West St. Paul and the University of Minnesota, where a lengthy rally closed the recruiting station there, while College Republican counter-protesters held signs--many racists and advocating torture--nearby.  TCIMC's dispatch is now off-line; read below for a play-by-play and check back for video reports in the next few days!

6:20pm: The action appears to be over, but at LynLake, three big fire trucks (including the hazardous materials truck) plus oodles of police have been tying up traffic quite well themselves.  The whole corner is still taped off.

Indymedia got great video from at least 3 locations today; if you have photos/vids/text reports, please let us know or publish them yourself!

5:40pm: Cops taped off the NW corner of Lake/Lyndale, by recruiting station, calling it a "crime scene."  The rally has relocated to across the street.  The fire department is even on the scene investigating the glue used for the posters!  If sidewalk chalk makes protesters terrorists (a la AETA 4), does glue?  The best news: the recruiting center is officially shut down.

5:20pm: LynLake station totally covered with posters, foreclosure signs glued to the front.

5:10pm: Several Minneapolis cops have arrived @ noisy LynLake rally and trying to talk to protesters; recruiters locked the door and are videotaping protesters from inside.  Cops and recruiters are together pointing people out in crowd.

4:15pm: Rally at Lake/Lyndale getting ready to begin at 4:30. One recruiter had nothing better to do than spend ~10min. peeling off a sticker from the door... give him some more work!  TCIMC has been taking video of various actions; watch the site in the next few days.

2:45pm: U of M action continues well past the official end-time of 1:00pm. One burly cop is guarding the recruiting station front door. Come down to campus and give your support the ol' college try!

2:00pm: Four lockdowners were released about one hour ago; charged with two misdemeanors: trespass and 4th degree criminal property damage.  The latter charge results from the police cutting the doors to the recruiting center, not any action on the activists' part.  They're well and ask you to pay attention for possible court solidarity actions in the future!

1:55pm: Lake and Lyndale presence is still going strong, lots of fliers distro'd and sidewalk chalking.  Mobilize for 4:30 "Foreclosure the War" rally there.

* * * for previous reports read more.  text "follow tcimc" or "follow zrd" to 40404 for twitter updates.  to report news, call our dispatch @ 651-503-5661. * * *

1:30pm: Morning arrest @ Lake and Lyndale has been confirmed.  Woman was charged with disorderly conduct for putting a "Don't enlist" sticker on a cop car right as another cop pulled in behind.  She was ticketed and released and is now back in the action!

1:00pm: West St. Paul action @ 1672 S. Robert has been going strong all day; activists entered recruiting station at 8am but officers didn't want to talk.  Six cop cars but no arrests.  Lots of fliers distro'd in surrounding area and Wal-Mart, Target parking lots; after being kicked out of those by security, the crew is back on Robert Street.

11:45am: Doors of the Knollwood mall station have been locked; the station shut down by mall security thanks to wily activists!

11:35am: Lockdowners in Brooklyn Center have been cut out, arrested and taken to Brooklyn Center Police Station, 6645 Humboldt Ave. N.  Total of seven confirmed arrests so far today.

At the U of M: Demonstration underway at Oak and Washington recruiting station led by U of M SDS.  A College Republican counter-protest has about 30 people holding pro-America signs, some of which advocate waterboarding.

11:15am: Brooklyn Center Police Commander Stu Robinson told the Star Tribune: "officers told the protesters that they would not be arrested unless they begin to damage property or act in some other threatening manner."  Pants on fire?  Threatening to military recruitment, true.  The station's still closed ("unstaffed," as the Strib says, since the recruiters were hanging out at the coffee shop next door).

10:45am: Police have given dispersal order in Brooklyn Center.  Locked activists aren't moving; support rally has moved off the property.  Arrests appear imminent

10:35am: Brooklyn Center: Bigger police presence on the scene - six hennepin county sheriff cars, 5 BCPD and a fire truck.  Activists asking for support: go to 5615 Xerxes Ave. N, near Brookdale Mall

10:25am: Demonstration set to begin at West St. Paul Air Force/Army/Navy recruiting station, led by Twin Cities Peace Campaign and AlliantAction.  Join them! 1672 Robert Street, city of West STP

10:10am: Three grandmas for peace were arrested @ Knollwood Mall, taken to the St. Louis Park police station, ticketed for trespassing and released.  They're now going back to the mall and encouraging others to come disrupt business as usual.

10:00am: Report from Brooklyn Center: Recruiters wanted police to arrest lockdowners immediately, but police have refused! The army recruiting station remains CLOSED and may be closed for the day (it's normally open 8-8).

9:50am: Report from Mankato, MN: Demonstration at mall was met by heavy police and mall security presence.  Recruiters said that all area recruiting stations received a memo about Zero Recruitment Day.  Protest is moving to the MSU-Mankato campus ROTC now...

9:35am: Unconfirmed report of arrest one block away from Lyndale/Lake St recruiting station.  Small crowd there; MPD cop rolled up to say that an unknown white woman was arrested a block away after stickering a car.  MPD Squad # 525.  Investigating...

At Knollwood: Two police are inside recruiting station in the mall w/ six Grandmothers for Peace.  Three police officers are blocking the door, with small crowd of supporters in the hallway and more police outside the mall

9:30am: Report that arrests imminent @ Knollwood Mall station; Grandmothers for Peace attempted to enlist and some may refuse to leave.  Cops on the scene.  Press conference set to begin there shortly.  8332 Hwy 7, St. Louis Park

8:20am: Police have finally arrived at Brooklyn Center lockdown, 3 BCPD cars.

4/23 8am: Lockdown @ 5615 Xerxes Brooklyn Center Recruiting Station!  Activists have locked themselves to the door with u-locks and lockboxes.  Read the statement

* * *

Some of the public actions announced so far:

• St. Louis Park: 9:30 a.m. press conference and demonstration at Knollwood Mall, Parking Lot (by the Knollwood sign), Highway 7 and Texas Avenue
• Minneapolis: 11am - 1pm @ Army Recruiting Station, 806 Washington Ave. SE (near corner of Washington & Oak Street
• Minneapolis: Army Recruting Center on Lake St. & Lyndale Ave from 8:30 am-6:00 pm; rallies at 12 and 4:30
• Mankato, MN: Demonstration at Minnesota State University--Mankato ROTC, 12 noon

On April 23, communities across MN will take action to stop military recruitment, resist recruiter lies, and demand an end to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Actions will take place at recruiting centers all over the Twin Cities and beyond.  A diversity of tactics will be used simultaneously under one message: Troops Out Now, Money for Human Needs, Not War, Zero Recruitment Today! So take action yourself, or join one in progress. 

We'll update about the various actions throughout the day.  For breaking news from TCIMC, follow us on twitter by texting FOLLOW TCIMC to 40404.  We'll also have our dispatch line active starting at 8am on Thursday.  If you have news to report reated to Zero Recruitment Day, call IMC Dispatch at 651-503-5661.  If you're participating in an action, publish your reports, photos or video to the newswire and we'll collect them on the front page.

For higher-volume updates from the action, follow ZRD on twitter by texting FOLLOW ZRD to 40404. Zero Recruitment Day was initiated by the Anti-War Committee; See www.antiwarcommittee.org for details.

If further motivation is needed...President Obama has no plans to end the war in Iraq.  His proposal to keep 50,000 troops in Iraq through 2011 will continue an unjustified military occupation for almost 3 more years.  An escalation is planned for Afghanistan where Obama just deployed 17,000 additional troops.  Maintaining these wars and occupations requires military recruiters to entice young people with false promises.  Recruiters, who already disproportionately target low income people, are using the economic crisis to intensify pressure on vulnerable youth.  Contary to what recruiters say, new recruits are likely to be sent to war.  Those who survive combat often return physically or psychologically wounded.  Racism, sexism, and homophobia run rampant in the military.  And returning soldiers often face greater economic hardship upon their return.

So take action on 4/23.  Don't enlist, resist!