MPR News Feature; People's Blockade protestors arrested at Twin Cities Arsenal ammunition plant

Yesterday at 10:00 a.m. Two members of the people's blockade were arrested for blocking blocking the train tracks leading into the Twin Cities arsenal. Those arrested have been part of the Twin Cities people's blockade maintained at the Arsenal since August 28 1972. The blockade is part of a national blockade effort in more than 20 cities to nonviolently make visible the war's continuing destruction. Fed by American resources and dollars. Yesterday's events underscore the Nixon administrations intent to continue the war at the same if not greater level of destruction. As the Johnson administration the Twin Cities arsenal the present target of between the two entities peoples blockade is deeply involved in the continuing carnage in 971 alone over two hundred million dollars worth of taxpayers money was spent at the Twin Cities Arsenal for munitions production. K. Halverson and Paulding Berryman were part of the Group of Seven peoples blockaders the drilling on the railroad tracks confronting the American

people with a responsibility to end the war and to inform the people that the Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant is for quote is presently a major supplier of small arms ammunition for Vietnam. This quotation taken from the defense market survey intelligence report. Right in 15 minutes before the train came the U.S. federal marshals removed for the second time the nine foot cross and all tree planted between the cross between the tracks and symbols of peace and life. The marshals then read the statement ordering us off the track. A member of the people's blockade explained the nonviolent nature of the blockade and then explained that in conscience we could not cooperate with our removal from the tracks. We then sat down and tracks in front of the oncoming train that was carrying 21 boxcars into the arsenal. When the marshals moved in we went limp a sign of are nonviolent non-cooperation with removal from the ordinance tracks

and the marshals dragged away the train and proceeded into the into the arsenal with 21 empty cars. When these box cars come out of the arsenal they will be loaded with ammunition destined for use in what almost everyone considers to be immoral and illegal war.