A statement by member of the Twin Cities People's Blockade: part of national blockade effort, a nonviolent protest against Vietnam War and the war's continuing destruction. Two people were arrested for blocking the train track leading into Twin Cities Arsenal. This underscores Nixon administration's intent to continue the war at the same if not greater level of destruction as the Johnson administration. Group of seven protestors vigiling on railroad tracks since August 28 to highlight our responsibility to end the war in Vietnam. Arriving 15 minutes before train came US Federal Marshals who removed for second time a nine foot cross and olive tree on the track, read a statement ordering people off the tracks. They refused and sat down in front of oncoming train, and were then removed from the ordnance track. The train went into arsenal. When the train boxcars come out, they will be loaded with ammunition destined for use in what almost everyone considers an immoral and illegal war.
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SPEAKER: Yesterday at 10:00 AM, two members of the People's blockade were arrested for blocking the train tracks leading into the Twin Cities arsenal. Those arrested have been part of the Twin Cities People's Blockade, maintained at the arsenal since August 28, 1972. The blockade is part of a national blockade effort in more than 20 cities, to non-violently make visible the war's continuing destruction fed by American resources and dollars.
Yesterday's events underscore the Nixon administration's intent to continue the war at the same, if not greater level of destruction as the Johnson administration. The Twin Cities arsenal, the present target of the Twin Cities People's Blockade, is deeply involved in the continuing carnage.
In 1971 alone, over $200 million worth of taxpayers' money was spent at the Twin Cities arsenal for ammunitions production. Kay Halverson and Pauline Berryman were part of the group of seven People's Blockaders vigiling on the railroad tracks, confronting the American people with our responsibility to end the war. And to inform the people that the Twin Cities army ammunition plant is, quote, "Is presently a major supplier of small arms, ammunition for Vietnam." This quotation taken from the Defense Market Survey intelligence report.
Arriving 15 minutes before the train came, the US Federal Marshals removed, for the second time, the nine foot cross and olive tree planted between the tracks, as symbols of peace and life. The Marshals then read us a statement, ordering us off the tracks. A member of the People's Blockade explained the non-violent nature of the blockade, and then explained that in conscience, we could not cooperate with our removal from the tracks.
We then sat down on the tracks in front of the oncoming train that was carrying 21 boxcars into the arsenal. When the Marshals moved in, we went limp as a sign of our non-violent non-cooperation, with removal from the ordnance tracks and the Marshals dragged us away. The train then proceeded into the arsenal with its 21 empty cars. When these boxcars come out of the arsenal, they will be loaded with ammunition destined for use in what almost everyone considers to be an immoral and illegal war.