Secret Service Accused: Pushing, Dragging Peace Demonstrators?

Peaceful protesters say officers "brought a grandmother to tears"

Twenty-three non-violent peace activists calling for an end to the US war in Afghanistan claim they were violently pushed and dragged away from a White House gate by Secret Service officers Monday. The activists, participating in a larger demonstration of over 300 people organized by the National Campaign for Non-Violent Resistance, had sent a letter to President Obama last month requesting a meeting with him to discuss their opposition to the war.

After holding a non-violent "die-in" at the White House gate, the peace activists waited for over three hours while various police departments, including the Washington, DC Metro Police, Park Police and Secret Service, gave conflicting stories about whether the activists would be arrested or not. The group's request to meet with someone from the Administration was summarily rebuffed by White House guards.

By the group's account, the situation unexpectedly deteriorated: "Suddenly, with no warning and with dozens of other police officers watching, a group of about a dozen Secret Service officers swooped in to push and drag the protesters, who included a number of retirees, away from the White House gate and outside a police perimeter that had been established in the normally public area in front of the White House."

"I wonder how the officers who brought a grandmother to tears with their completely unnecessary, harsh use of force will explain how their day went when they go home to their families at the end of their shift," asked Kevin MartinKevin Martin, Executive Director of Peace Action. Martin claims he was shoved hard in the back by two Secret Service officers, causing him to fall into National Campaign for Non-Violent Resistance Co-convener Joy First, a grandmother from Wisconsin. First was roughed up by several officers and was still in tears twenty minutes after the incident, reported the group.

"Clearly, the Obama Administration, which has increased the violence in Afghanistan with its escalation of troops earlier this year, would rather have Secret Service thugs rough up peace activists than to engage in a dialogue with us about Afghanistan," said Martin. "But we will not be deterred, and the American people have turned decidedly against this war. We call on Obama to meet with us to discuss Afghanistan and apologize for the brutality of the White House police force, and to begin bringing US troops home so the people of Afghanistan can resolve their country's problems."

The group of 23 included four Peace Action staff members and five members of Peace Action chapters from across the country. Paul Kawika Martin (unrelated to Kevin Martin), Peace Action's Policy Director, had just returned from a citizens' peacemaker delegation to Afghanistan organized by the peace group Code Pink.

Early reports from Monday's peace event inaccurately included members of this group in the White House arrest count. The event's arrest total on Monday was actually 61.

The video at the top of this post recounts Monday's large peace demonstration, the context in which the group's alleged offense occurred. Photographer Michael Benedetti granted permission to use his original photos of the major demonstration with this report. They are located in the "Images" tab.

Peace Action is the country's largest peace and disarmament group with over 100,000 members nationwide. The National Campaign for Non-Violent Resistance has worked for peace in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2002.

Source: Press release 10/5/2009 Peace Action; Contact: Kevin Martin.