Antiwar protesters plead not guilty
Issue date: 7/24/07 Section: Metro
Seventeen of 20 protesters pleaded not guilty at the Linn County Courthouse July 20 to charges of trespassing on Iowa Sens. Tom Harkin's and Charles Grassley's Cedar Rapids offices.
The pleas stem from the July 6 arrests of Iowa Occupation Project demonstrators - who campaign to stop funding to the war in Iraq - rallying outside the offices of the senators.
"The illegality of the war in Iraq, the urgency of preventing the loss of any more innocent lives, and the inaccessibility of Sens. Grassley and Harkin to their constituents makes our actions on July 6 justified," said a statement by the group.
The 20 protesters were all charged with trespassing, which the Iowa Code defines as entering or remaining upon or in property without justification after being notified or requested to abstain from entering.
A pretrial hearing is set for Oct. 25 at the Linn County Courthouse.
- by Samantha Miller
The pleas stem from the July 6 arrests of Iowa Occupation Project demonstrators - who campaign to stop funding to the war in Iraq - rallying outside the offices of the senators.
"The illegality of the war in Iraq, the urgency of preventing the loss of any more innocent lives, and the inaccessibility of Sens. Grassley and Harkin to their constituents makes our actions on July 6 justified," said a statement by the group.
The 20 protesters were all charged with trespassing, which the Iowa Code defines as entering or remaining upon or in property without justification after being notified or requested to abstain from entering.
A pretrial hearing is set for Oct. 25 at the Linn County Courthouse.
- by Samantha Miller
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Steve Barquist
posted 7/24/07 @ 1:48 PM EST
"The illegality of the war in Iraq, the urgency of preventing the loss of any more innocent lives, and the inaccessibility of Sens. Grassley and Harkin to their constituents makes our actions on July 6 justified," said a statement by the group. (Continued…)
Steve Bissell (Class of '82)
posted 7/25/07 @ 5:53 PM EST
No more war!!!!! Give peace a chance! From an "off campus agitator" during the Viet Nam War, active in "The Gurilla Theatre" (sorry about the bad spelling) and other non-violent, non-lawless anti-war groups in Iowa City, They may get you for "the small stuff," but remember the BIG picture. (Continued…)
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