Charges Dropped Against Boston 18!
December 14, 2007
BOSTON -- The charge of disturbing a lawful assembly was dismissed today
with no payment of court costs in Boston Municipal Court against 15 veterans,
members of Veterans For Peace, and 3 supporters, who were arrested on Veterans
Day.
"It was a travesty that veterans were arrested on Veterans Day for
attempting to exercise their First Amendment right of free speech," said Nate
Goldshlag, an U.S. Army veteran and co-coordinator of the Smedley D. Butler
Brigade, Chapter 9 of Veterans For Peace. "Our messages of peace and against
the Iraq war were silenced by the American Legion, who runs the Veterans Day
events. The city needs to take control of the parade and allow all veterans to
speak, regardless of their political views. We will press for this with Mayor
Menino."
The Veterans Day 18 were standing silently, with gags through their mouths
and with signs that said "American Legion SILENCES Messages of Peace From
Veterans" in front of a raised podium on City Hall Plaza on November 11 when
they were arrested. A request to have a speaker at the event was denied by the
American Legion, in spite of a City Council hearing called by Boston City
Councillor Chuck Turner and two other councillors titled "Isn't Veterans Day For
All Veterans?" In addition, Veterans For Peace was relegated to march behind
the street sweepers in order to not be in the official Veterans Day parade,
despite it being the single largest veterans contingent.
"The charges were absurd, and we view this as a victory for antiwar people
everywhere. The police claimed we were "loudly chanting" when we had gags on.
We disturbed nothing except perhaps the leaders of the Legion. The event could
have gone on. People could see the podium above us." Goldshlag said. "We are
not going away. Veterans For Peace and its message must be heard. We intend to
pursue this with Mayor Menino and the City Council."