And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: This account of events at a Monterrey, California demonstration is quite amazing! Or is it? PD This message is forwarded to you as a service of Zapatistas Online. Comments and volunteers are welcome. Write [EMAIL PROTECTED] Send submissions to [EMAIL PROTECTED] TO: Monterey City Council DATE: March 15, 1999 FROM: Gordon Smith Dear City Council Members, I would like to make all of you aware of several incidents that occurred during our peaceful demonstrations against the Marine Corps "Urban Warrior" exercises on Friday and Saturday: 1) Some Marines apparently knocked over the port-a-potties at the Monterey Peninsula College (MPC) city-arranged campsite, 2) We were harassed by the Marines at our candlelight vigil Friday night, 3) The Monterey Police (MPD) were slow to respond to our request for police presence at the vigil, 4) the MPD watch commander did not return our cell phone call, 5) the MPD refused to maintain a continuous presence as we requested, 6) Monterey Presidio Army security came to our candlelight vigil and photographed protesters "for the Pentagon," 7) MPD Officer Sargent videotaped individual protesters on Saturday (3/13/99) without an explanation other than " just following orders." On Friday night, the candlelight vigil at Window on the Bay Park was attended by approximately 75 people between 6:45 p.m. and 9:45 p.m., (I am telling you this because I saw no report of this in the paper or the TV news). There was a good mix of people there, like members of our well known local coalition of the "John Steinbeck IV" chapter of Veterans for Peace, the Women's International League of Peace and Freedom (WILPF), and the Green Party. Also joining us were CSUMB students, a bicycle group from Santa Cruz, affinity groups from the Resource Center for Nonviolence of Santa Cruz, and also other individuals. I am told we would have had more protesters, but many people were apparently under the false impression that Monterey's Urban Warrior had been completely called off after the Coastal Commission decision on Thursday. Apparently the Watsonville paper actually printed this was the case, while the Santa Cruz County Sentinel (California) and other papers suggested it. I am sure that Monterey Police Captain, Dave Fortune was relieved as the FBI had told him to expect up to a thousand protesters, including some bad characters that were intending to do a lot of damage that would cost the city thousands of dollars. Later on Friday, around 5:00 p.m. I placed VFP logos on the city- provided water tank and port-a-potties at the lower MPC lot, so campers would know they were in the designated area. While posting these logos I was approached by four Marines on rental mopeds. They asked why were we protesting, and told me they had inside information the lawsuit would not end in an injunction to stop them. They rode off yelling "we will be back!" Later, during the candlelight vigil one young man in civilian clothes (and denying he was in the military) showed up and, with a vacant stare, went endlessly, face-to-face with protesters asking, why they "opposed the Marines?" At the same time, three different cars (one red, one green and one white) driven and occupied by young men with butch haircuts, and the previously mentioned four Marines on mopeds, drove past the vigil in both directions for about an hour, yelling "fuck you!" "go back to Russia!" "Siemper Fi!," and shouts of "Aaah-Uuuah!!!" At one time the red car drove within five feet of the vigil with one Marine completely exposing his naked rear end out of the window. That same car returned and parked directly across the street from the vigil (on the El Estero Lake side road ) while the occupants yelled more profanities at us. At that point I called the Monterey Police Department and reported that the Marine harassment at our peaceful protests was scaring some of the young women from CSUMB while causing some us others to wonder if a flying beer bottle would be next. For these reasons I asked for a police presence at the paddle boat house across the street. A squad car drove by but did not stop or return, and the Marine harassment continued. I called the MPD again and asked that the watch commander return my mobile call from the vigil. I received no return call. I finally called Councilman Roberson for some protection just as two squad cars pulled up. I asked for a squad car to stay across the street as they always do during the day when we have demonstrations. I was told they could not allocate a car to "just sit across the street' but they would drive by more often. I asked MPD Officer Charfauros to make a walking police presence near the young man that was giving most everyone the creeps. The officer questioned the young man, and the so-called civilian produced a military ID. Also at the candlelight vigil, a man named Dave arrived in black motorcycle chaps with a camera. He wanted to take pictures of protesters, and he said he was an Army Sergeant from the DLI security office and "thought it would be a good idea to let the Pentagon know that people oppose Urban Warrior Exercises." When he approached an older Jewish woman from Aptos, he was asked if he "had a conscious?" She went on to tell him "that is what they did in Germany 60 years ago" and that he had no right to take her photograph. At 9:45 p.m. we cleaned the area of trash. Then we all cleared out of the park before official closing time (which is 10:00 p.m. according to Captain Fortune). I then drove to the lower parking lot of Monterey Peninsula College to see if any campers had arrived, and none had, but I noticed two port-a-potties had been pushed over. Logic tells me that the young Marines had in fact returned as they previously said they would. I went to Morgan's Coffee and Tea where many of the protesters had assembled. I informed them of the overturned toilets, then went home. At 11:45 I went to MPC and found only two vans parked and absolutely no "under the stars" campers. The following day I asked the Santa Cruz bicyclists where they had camped and was told they found a secluded green area "somewhere" on MPC campus. Some of the other would be campers stayed at Morgan's as he was kind enough to personally keep his business open all night to provide free coffee, and a sense of sanctuary from the Marine hasslers. Saturday morning about 125 or so protesters massed at the Window on the Bay and left for the DLI about 9:30 a.m. At about 11:30 the remaining VFP and WILPF members at the Window on the Bay were video taped at close range by MPD Officer Sargent. This SWAT uniformed officer refused requests to stop his filming, and subsequently was verbally condemned by at least four members of both VFP and WILPF, and a complaint was lodged by Billie Arnold of WILPF, who apparently went immediately to the MPD station. In summary, first I think it is ironic that some of the Marines that came to Monterey to practice "humanitarian relief" actually harassed civilians with profane yelling, and committed crimes of both vandalism and indecent exposure. It is obvious that these Urban Warrior exercises had nothing to do with humanitarian relief training in Monterey. Second, it seems our city staff is suffering from "terrorist threat syndrome" while it disregards the immediate safety of its own citizens, while supposedly preparing for a future disaster. I can not understand how the MPD can allocate a dozen of our officers for duty at the Monterey Presidio grounds, when it can't allocate one unit to be present in the face of real harassment from "invaders" especially when the MPD has always been present at the El Estero boat house during our daylight protests at Window on the Bay. Third, I am deeply concerned about our police officers filming our well known, very public, peaceful protesters. You already know us!!! I think it is obvious that these MPD video documentation's are intended to be used for purposes other than local governmental law enforcement. If Monterey Police officers are being used as extensions of the FBI then we, the citizens of Monterey are walking backwards into 1984. We protesters have nothing to hide and usually expect that the FBI may film us and/or possibly tap some of our phones. But come on now, keep our city police officers focused on more real issues like local public safety and real law enforcement. In closing, for several weeks we at VFP, specifically myself and Phil Butler, have continued to be in contact with Captain Fortune advising him that we as a local peace group were going to protest peacefully and without any disobedience whatsoever. We at Veterans for Peace did just what we said we would do. Finally, 1) The City of Monterey does not have any obligation to promote military recruitment, 2) and Urban Warrior is an inappropriate way to promote tourism. Any clear minded thinker can recognize that that is what this recent traveling circus was all about. In the real world militarism and tourism are like the physics of oil and water: they don't mix...other than colloidal suspension. That takes a lot of energy and it is only temporary. Sincerely, Gordon Smith, Co-chair, VFP#46 ___________________________________________________ NUEVO AMANECER PRESS-N.A.P.To know about us visit: http://www.nap.cuhm.mx/nap0.htm (spanish) ******************* In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107,this material is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest. 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