U. students arrested at war protest

Early yesterday morning, at a time when most students were rolling out of bed and staggering to class in the rain, a handful of Penn students and professors were wide awake and heading somewhere else -- to jail.

Five students and two professors were arrested during a blockade of the U.S. Federal Building on 6th and Market streets, with more students accompanying them as part of the protest. Groups of 20 to 35 individuals obstructed all building entrances, closing it for most of the morning, while about 400 other protesters stood in the street singing peace songs and chanting anti-war slogans.

The event was part of a national one-day effort by the Iraq Pledge of Resistance to block federal buildings in over 40 cities.

"We're building a resistance movement, in the vein of Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr.," said Terry Rumsey, co-coordinator of the event and member of the Iraq Pledge of Resistance steering committee.

"We have an administration that has hijacked democracy. Our message is to the powers that be," he added.

Despite the drizzly weather, protesters gathered at 7:30 a.m. at the Friends Meeting House at 4th and Arch streets before marching to the Federal Building a half hour later. They punctuated the sound of rush-hour traffic with chants, songs and a deep, booming bell while carrying a variety of signs. One of the more creative ones proclaimed "Don't Believe the Lies" -- with the letters O, I and L, lining up vertically to spell "oil."

American Civil Liberties Union legal observers wearing fluorescent yellow markers and hats, reporters and dozens of police officers stood on the side to observe the activity.

Some passing cars honked in support while others heckled the protesters.

"It's an inconvenience," said one federal employee who wished to remain anonymous.

However, few workers were out in the cold -- most were told to arrive before the protest began at 8 a.m., building spokesman William Cressman said.

The building's doors were locked during the actual event, he added.

The protest was arranged around 14 small organizations, known as "affinity groups." Each group had a few volunteers blocking the entrances while others protested in the streets. Most groups offered to track their friends through the arrest, detention and release process.

"We were definitely one of the youngest groups," College of General Studies senior Matt Grove said, noting that most people who participated in this event were middle-aged or senior citizens.

While the West Philadelphia affinity group, which Grove helped organize, mostly consisted of Penn students and professors, some members of the campus community were affiliated with other organizations.

Todd Wolfson, a fourth-year anthropology graduate student, organized a group called "Patriot Soup." College Assistant Director of Academic Advising Alice Kelley, who participated in the protest but was not arrested, was part of the "Women in Black."

Arrests began at approximately 9:15 a.m. at the building's 7th Street entrance. Federal Protective Service personnel told those blocking the entrance that they had three minutes to move. After the time had elapsed, they pulled individuals out of the human chain, asked for their names and photographed them. Officers then made protesters lie on their stomachs while their hands were tied behind their backs with plastic. They were then taken to detention cells in the Federal Courthouse before being arraigned.

U.S. Marshall Assistant Chief Bryan Curry said that about 100 protesters were arrested.

At least seven members of the Penn community were taken into custody: College and Engineering junior Kevin Bullaughey, first-year graduate student Randall Rose, College alumnus Kurt Spiridakis, Engineering and Wharton senior Jesse Tendler, Wolfson, Dutch Studies Professor Hans Van de Velde and Mathematics lecturer Stephen Preston.

Curry said that they were given a summary offense and offered the choice between paying a $250 fine or contesting the charges.

According to Rumsey, a few lawyers have offered to give the arrested protesters free legal aid if they need it.

Most of the Penn-affiliated protesters have not yet decided which route they will take.

In addition to challenging their arrests, some participants are also considering contesting the methods law enforcement officials used to detain them.

"The worst part was when I got into the basement and the officer lifted my entire body weight by my ear," Tendler said.

"I thought the whole thing was well-organized. I didn't hear any complaints," Curry said.

"As we left, some of the people thanked us," he added.

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