Iraq Veterans Against the War demonstrate in Ansbach

international | anti-war / imperialism | news report

Monday May 21, 2007 20:35

by Coilín óhAiseadha

086 060 3818

Vets will protest deployment to Iraq from US barracks in Ansbach-Katterbach on Thursday

On Saturday 19 May, members of the Iraq Veterans Against The War (IVAW), including former Marine Sergeant Adam Kokesh, participated in a peace march and die-in coordinated by the Ansbach Peace Coalition.

This demo was just one in a series of demonstrations in the Ansbach week of action, which will culminate in a rally outside the gates of the US barracks in Ansbach-Katterbach on Thursday 24. Here, the patriotic American veterans will protest against an official military ceremony at which more than half of the 5,500 US troops stationed in Ansbach will receive their marching orders for the war in Iraq.

Fomer Marine Sergeant Adam Kokesh leads a peace march in Ansbach

The following is an excerpt from Adam Kokesh’s report of the day’s events:

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After a press conference in the morning, we met at the staging area in the middle of the city. The crosses for the die-in were arranged in peace symbol in the middle of the plaza. There was a police escort present, which performed professionally the whole time.

… While we were waiting, there was a commotion on the other side of the plaza. It looked to me like a fight had broken out, but the scufflers disappeared momentarily into an alley and we could only hear the screams, some of which were in English. Then, a small crowd victoriously emerged, escorting a raving lunatic in an orange jump suit who looked strangely familiar, screaming obscenities:
“Who do you think you are! I’m George Bush! You can’t do this! I’ll call the Marines! You can’t stop me. I am the ruler of the world!“
They put him in a cage and everyone had some fun taunting him, poking him, and rapping on the bars.

The march was on. We left the plaza, and after a few minutes we were asked to get to the front of the column. We were surprised by the request, but quite honored. The police escort led us along the route, which included parts of a major road, a divider on a very busy street, and then back through the pedestrian area to the plaza at the center of the city. I could still hear the anguished cries of my once commander-in-chief behind me.

Reverend Hansjörg Meyer led off with a prayer and a speech, and then I was asked to speak on behalf of IVAW:
“Wir sind Irak Veteranen Gegen den Krieg! My name is Adam Kokesh and I was in Fallujah in 2004 with the Marines. I want to thank the Ansbach Peace Coalition for inviting us to participate today and support the German peace movement. You have been accused of being anti-American, but if it is anti-American to call for peace in this time of war, then I too, am anti-American. But I’m not, I love my country as you love yours, and we do this because it is our patriotic duty. It is great to see the people of Germany stand up to their government to say that it does not reflect the will of the people, especially here in Ansbach, where you have made a stand against the expansion of the US Army base. We support you in your resistance.”

While a WWII air raid siren blared over the loudspeakers, a handful of people in the crowd stepped forward into the cleared area and performed a die-in. …

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Read more and see more pictures here:
http://kokesh.blogspot.com/2007/05/ansbach-peace-rally-...links