Raging Grannie Frankie Smith at the protest.
Update: October 22, 2004 - nyc indymedia report on the raging grannies protest. Read it here.
Raging Grannie Frankie Smith at the protest.
From: Litsa Binder
Sent: 10/17/2005 11:42 PM
Dear friends,
Frankie Smith and I were privileged to participate today, October 17 in the anti-war action of the New York City Grandmothers Against the War. And, what an energizing event it was!! While most of the grandmothers were fit, energetic and cheerful, one grandmother was in a wheelchair, another walked with a walker, and one with a cane. Each one of them looked tough and determined. We gathered between 11:30 am and 12:00 noon at the Times Square army recruiting station, at 43rd St. and Broadway. Other groups present were Code Pink New York Women for Peace, Grandmothers for Peace International, Gray Panthers, New York City Raging Grannies, Peace Action New York State, and Women's International League for Peace and Freedom. We were about 50 of us. A couple of Veterans for Peace stood with us the entire time. The banner I liked best read "No flag is large enough to cover the shame of killing innocent people" Howard Zinn.
We distributed the Statement of the Anti-War Grandmothers to people passing by and sang anti-war songs written by various anti-war grandmothers. As planned at 12:15 about 15 grandmothers moved in front of the door of the army recruiting station to enter the station to enlist and took turns reading the anti-war statement .....BY THIS ACTION, WE ARE NOT SUPPORTING THE USE OF MILITARY FORCE IN IRAQ -- IN FACT, WE ARE TOTALLY AGAINST IT. BUT INASMUCH AS IT EXISTS, OUR GOAL IN JOINING UP IS ONLY TO PROTECT YOUNG PEOPLE FROM FURTHER DEATH AND MAIMING...........
After about 15 minutes, police officers handcuffed them and moved them two by two to special vans that they transport detainees (sorry, I do not know the name). It took two of these vans to fit all the grannies in. The police officers were gentle and respectful. As the grannies were carried away they sang "God Help America" while the rest of us grannies encouraged them by shouting "we love you grannies."
Then we walked slowly, singing and holding our signs to the midtown police station at 54th st. between 8th and 9th Avenue where the enlisting grannies were held. The police informed us that it would take a while before the grannies would be released. At that point, Frankie and I left for home, while many grannies remained outside the police station.
Frankie took pictures. She will develop them and give them to Thor. Perhaps he can put them on our website. We grannies do not use digital cameras yet.
PS. as we were gathering at Times Square, a young man that looked very familiar came by to say hello. It was Michael McPhearson, the 1991 Gulf War veteran who was the speaker at our June, 2004 program.
Litsa Binder - Northwest NJ Peace Fellowship
From: Ken Gale
Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2005 12:01 PM
Subject: FW: 18 grandmothers arrested at Iraq war protest
Hey, folks!
It was a great day. Well over 100 people were singing Raging Grannies songs (we handed out at least 120 songbooks) and a lot of press was there. Channel 11 did a short feature last night (but not channel 9, I didn't even bother checking Fox).
If any of you I'm sending this to that do radio or TV shows would like to interview any of them, I have contact info for you. (Joel, you should be able to get a whole bunch singing for you.)
The second photo on the attachment is a close-up of Raging Granny Corinne, whose birthday was that day (I am not at liberty to divulge her age, sorry, but I promised). We sang happy birthday to her when they arrested her. (I yelled "Corinne" during the first line of the song to let anyone near me know what that line of the song would be.)
After they were arrested, about 25-30 of us marched along Broadway to 54th St then to where they were being held, singing all the way (Adele Rollider brought her guitar and was leading us during the rally and on that march). We sang in front of the police station and most of the Grannies could hear us as they were being booked. They said it really cheered them up.
The reactions of the cops before the arrests were often a smile. During the arrest, some of them were clearly embarrassed. Many of them told us they were on our side - when they were away from other cops. One of the Grannies pointed out that they do that all the time and most of the cops who express solidarity are black.
A few of us waited outside the police station until they were let out, in groups of two, between 4 PM and 6 PM (they were separated into groups of two inside, some enjoyed chatting the day away and others did not). We cheered every one who came out. There were indeed 18. Interesting how some of the articles said 17. The wait was not the least bit boring for me because of the interesting conversations with the others who were waiting (especially Phyllis and Benito).
Their court date is Monday, November 15, 2005 at 9:30 AM at the courthouse on 54th St. between 8th and 9th Ave, right next to where they were held and booked for "disorderly conduct."
I love these women!
Ken
From: Joan
Sent: Monday, October 17, 2005 9:49 PM
How about this, folks? Since this story went out on the AP, I've gotten calls so far from DAILY NEWS, NY POST, AND a story is online at NY NEWSDAY. Good work, jailbirds, and thanks to all other supporters for your help. Love, Joan
Associated Press
October 17, 2005, 8:18 PM EDT
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--warprotest1017oct17,0,4353278.story?coll=ny-region-apnewyork
18 grandmothers arrested at Iraq war protest
NEW YORK (AP) _ Eighteen grandmothers were arrested and face charges of disorderly conduct after they showed up at a military recruiting center and said they wanted to enlist, a protest group said.
Police arrested the women, ranging in age from 49 to 90, Monday afternoon after they sat down in front of the Times Square recruiting station to protest the war in Iraq, police said.
When the 18 women, including Marie Runyon, who is 90 and blind, tried to enter the station, they found it locked, said Joan Wile, 74, director of Grandmothers against the War.
"We tried to ring the bell at the booth, but no one answered," Wile said. "I saw a head poke up from behind the counter every once in a while and then duck back down. I don't know what they were afraid of. Maybe they don't know how to deal with a bunch of grannies."
The women were taken into custody after they sat down in front of the recruiting station and began to chant, "We insist, we want to enlist."
Grandmothers against the War joined the New York City Raging Grannies and the Gray Panthers to form a coalition called the Anti-War Grandmothers, which organized the protest in Times Square. The group said that about 100 people attended.
"The police were extremely nice," Wile said. "They helped us up from our sitting position and helped us get in and out of the van, which was difficult with our handcuffs on."
| AP - Mon Oct 17, 2:24 PM ET Police arrest members of Grandmothers For Peace as they stage a sit-in at the U.S. Armed Forces Recruiting Station, during an anti-Iraq war rally in Times Square, New York, Monday Oct. 17, 2005. 17 grandmothers from the New York area were arrested when they attempted to enter the U.S. Armed Forces Recruiting Station and enlist in place of soldiers currently deployed in Iraq. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews) |  |
| AP - Mon Oct 17, 2:33 PM ET Members of Grandmothers For Peace stage a sit-in at the U.S. Armed Forces Recruiting Station before their arrest, during an anti-Iraq war rally in Times Square, New York, Monday Oct. 17, 2005. 17 grandmothers from the New York area were arrested when they attempted to enter the U.S. Armed Forces Recruiting Station and enlist in place of soldiers currently deployed in Iraq. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews) |  |
| AP - Mon Oct 17, 2:26 PM ET Batty Brassell, 75, in a police wagon after her arrest during an anti-Iraq war rally in Times Square, New York, Monday Oct. 17, 2005. Brassell was among 17 members of Grandmothers For Peace arrested when they attempted to enter the U.S. Armed Forces Recruiting Station and enlist in place of soldiers currently deployed in Iraq. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews) |  |
| AP - Mon Oct 17, 2:20 PM ET Members of Grandmothers For Peace, including Batty Brassell, 75, center, using a walking aide, hold an anti-Iraq war rally in Times Square, New York, Monday Oct. 17, 2005. Brassell was among 17 grandmothers from the New York area arrested when they attempted to enter the U.S. Armed Forces Recruiting Station and enlist in place of soldiers currently deployed in Iraq. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews) |  |
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