Eight people were arrested at the Sunday, January 31 witness. Participants in the witness were not allowed to gather in the designated protest area, nor anywhere near the base. Nobody intentionally “crossed the line.” The protest was dismantled and arrests were made by base security, who acted because the protest was not permitted by base commander, though the base was notified well before the gathering. (What happened to our right of “free speech”?)
The arrested include: Denis Apel, Tensie Hernandez-Apel, Bub Boothe, MacGregor Eddy, Judy Evered, Scott Fina, Mary Becker, and Jorge Manly-Gil.
In the first test of its kind involving Vandenberg, an ICBM launched from the Marshall Islands was aimed at southern California. The Ground-Based Interceptor launched from VAFB, about 60 miles northwest of Santa Barbara, lifted off at around 3:45 pm, but was not successful in shooting down the target, launched six minutes earlier from the far end of the Ronald Reagan Test Range at Kwajalein Atoll.
First to be cited were MacGregor and Dennis, both of whom have existing “ban-and-bar” notices from previous arrests. They were cited for trespass, though they were in the designated protest area and did not cross onto base property.
Judy Evered, in her 80’s, of Goleta, CA was held on the ground by two security guards with one soldier’s knee in her back. Her booking was interrupted because she had to be transported to the hospital in an ambulance for a shoulder injury she sustained during arrest. Evered is with the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom and is a frequent participant in ongoing vigils at Vandenberg. She was later released from the hospital, and unprocessed by authorities.
Jorge Manly-Gil, also from the Guadalupe Catholic Worker, refused to give any
information. He was last known to be held at the Lompoc City Police
holding cell.
The others arrested were given ban-and-bar letters though they were in compliance with base policy.
Posted: February 1st, 2010 under News.
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