03/13/07: Superior police arrest three activists seeking pledge from Obey
Superior police arrest three activists seeking pledge from Obey
Anna Kurth
The Daily Telegram - 03/13/2007
Three Iraq War protesters were arrested when they refused to leave the Superior office of U.S. Rep. David Obey, D-Wausau when the office closed at 5 p.m. Tuesday.
Bonnie Urfer and Mike Miles of Luck, and John Heid of La Crosse refused to leave the office after speaking with Obey.
They demanded Obey pledge he wouldn’t fund the war, and wouldn’t leave willingly without the pledge.
Obey spoke with protesters by phone and listened to their demands but did not pledge to withhold funding.
Obey supports a funding measure that would redirect more resources to the war in Afghanistan, set a timeline for withdrawal of troops from Iraq and better fund health care for returning troops and veterans. It also contains funding for the war, according to his Web site.
The protesters agreed the money could be put to better uses — like hospitals for wounded veterans, they said.
The protesters were part of a larger group that had camped out in Obey’s Superi or office starting at 1:30 p.m. The group numbered about 12, but most left when the office closed.
War protesters are visiting office’s of legislators across the country asking for a pledge against funding support. Protesters also visited the Duluth office of U.S. Rep. Jim Oberstar, D-Chisholm Tuesday afternoon, Miles said.
“Everyone who’s not willing to say I’m not going to vote for any more money is being targeted,” he said. “We’re here in the tradition of Martin Luther King, Dorothy Day and Gandhi who were out there in moments of crisis.”
Protester’s argued with Obey’s claims that he is anti-war.
“Only once did he not oppose further funding,” Heid said. “The truth is where the money lies, and who profits and who dies.”
As the police arrived, the protesters were prepared to be arrested.
“It would be better if we didn’t have to do this,” Miles said.
The police arrived shortly after 5 p.m. and explained if the protesters would not leave they would be arrested for trespassing.
“Are you willing to be arrested?,” an officer asked.
“That’s the last thing any of us want to do,” a protester said as he was arrested. “But it’s so important.”