13 PEACE ACTIVISTS ARRESTED AT NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY  
July 8, 2006  

Jean Athey, Major Silver .......Liz McAlister

Baltimore peace groups have tried to dialogue with representatives of the National Security Agency since 1996.  See James Bamford's book BODY OF SECRETS, which details the agency's response to these requests.  In June 2006, the Pledge of Resistance–Baltimore sent a letter to the NSA director, Lt. Gen. Keith Alexander, seeking a meeting.

A great concern is the NSA's involvement in the illegal war and occupation of Iraq.   Since Gen. Alexander failed to respond to the letter, members of the Pledge intend to march to the NSA to seek a meeting to discuss the illegal activities perpetrated by the government agency.  

On Saturday, July 8, 2006, at 11:30 in the morning, twenty-five activists gathered near the National Business Parkway in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, and began a march towards the NSA.  Once they were walking along Route 32, they were challenged by a Maryland State Police officer who ordered them to turn back.  The group continued its trek to the NSA despite the trooper's threat to give everyone a citation.

However, when the demonstrators reached a public road near the entrance to the NSA, security confronted them and indicated no protesting is permitted at Fort Meade.  Officers also told them that their cars were in the process of being towed. Drivers had to return to the Business Park to rescue their vehicles. Demonstrators were then given a document entitled “Protests, Picketing and Other Similar Demonstrations” dated May 12, 2005.  This blatant denial of First Amendment rights was incredible, as Pledge members have held four different demonstrations at Fort Meade since that date.  Thirteen activists who refused to relinquish the signs they were carrying were given citations charging them with “Entering into military facility for purposes prohibited by law” and then ordered to leave the area.

Those charged include Baltimore activists  Maria Allwine, Ellen Barfield, Susan Crane, Jay Gillen, Max Obuszewski and Ed Boyd, the Green Party candidate for governor of Maryland.  Others charged are Jean Athey, Montgomery County, MD; Eden Coughlin, Brooklyn, NY; Pat Elder, Bethesda, MD; Ed Kinane, Syracuse, NY; Eve Tetaz, Washington, D.C.; and Father Louis Vitale, California. 

COURT:At January 25, 2007 motions hearing, all charges were dismissed against Maria Allwine, Ellen Barfield, Susan Crane, Jay Gillen, Max Obuszewski, Ed Boyd, Jean Athey, Eden Coughlin, Pat Elder, Ed Kinane, Eve Tetaz and Fr. Louis Vitale in the U.S. Federal District Court in Baltimore, MD.

Eve Tetaz, Liz McAlister, Linnea Meier, Father Louis Vitale, and Art Laffin prepare to walk from the Business Park to the NSA.

Maria Allwine, Eden Coughlin, John Olliver, and Art Laffin en route to the NSA.

Jean Athy and Pat Elder hold sign: NSA = Crime Scene. In addition, we had brought crime scene tape to wrap around the NSA.

Eden Coughlin; Myles Hoenig; Ed Boyd, Green Party candidate for governor of Maryland; Jay Gillen; May Robinson and Maria Allwine. When activists reached this point, they were stopped by security officers and told they would be given citations unless they put down their signs.

Maria Allwine, May Robinson, Jay Gillen, and Brian Barrett

The group was stopped at the NSA National Vigilance Park.

On a plaque displayed in the park, the NSA appropriates to itself the attributes of the Creator. We find this obscene and blasphemous.