White House Demonstrators Under Siege

Peace Park
Under Siege

by Miriam Olsen

If the National Park Service has its way, the Lafayette Peace Park community across the street from the White House in Washington, D.C., may become one of the uncounted casualties of the Persian Gulf War.

Since its inception in 1981 by William Thomas and Concepcion Picciotto, the Lafayette Peace Park has maintained a 24-hour a day presence, perhaps the longest such continuous peace vigil in the United States. Since 1983, the community has been the target of a myriad of National Park Service regulations designed solely for the purpose of removing what many consider to be a troublesome "eyesore" from the White House environs. Regulations put into effect throughout the decade include strict definitions of what constitutes "camping", limits on the size of signs, and the now-famous "60 decibels"regulation. Soon these will be joined by proposed new rules, including one limiting personal possessions in the park to no more than Three cubic feet.

The Minnesota Peace Drum and a group of nine Minnesotans, five of them Native Americans, spent the days and nights of January 13-17 in Lafayette Park Two of the group's members returned with the drum five weeks later. after reports of greatly increased arrests and harassment by Park Police reached them.

Two women, Bev Nii-Anderson of Hackensack. MN (a member of the Leech Lake Pillager band) and I returned to Minnesota on March 2 after four days in Washington. D.C. They report that the Peace Park community is now the object of constant surveillance and intimidation by the Park Police. Enforcement of NPS regulations is arbitrary and selective: Peace Park residents are kicked by officers every half hour during the night, and if they are asleep- are arrested for "camping," while homeless who sleep throughout the park are allowed to rest undisturbed Upon release from jail, personal property (signs, blankets, musical instruments, even eyeglasses) is not being returned to protesters. If they move more than three feet away from their property (even to go to the bathroom) Park Police enter the gate in the newly constructed iron fence to confiscate it.

The drums of Lafayette park are now silenced every evening at 7 p.m. by a cadre of Park Police officers. Thursday evening, February 28,sixteen officers came through the gate to usher the Minnesota Peace Drum out of the park. When the police were asked if the drum could be set down and not beaten so the Minnesotans could remain with the vigil. their reply was: "If you sit that drum down, it will be confiscated and you will be arrested."

Arrests of this small protest community, committed to maintaining, at any cost to themselves, a nonviolent witness for peace and disarmament, began to escalate when the fighting began in the Persian Gulf and it continues, even though the war is "over." 'As of February 18. there had been 121 arrests of Peace Park residents since the onset of the war. Total arrests as of press time approach 200.

Originally known as the "President's Park" after its purchase for $469 in 1791. Lafayette Park was separated from the White House lawn by Thomas Jefferson, who decided it for the people's use. Visitors from across the nation and around the world include Lafayette Park and its protest community on their stops at the White.House. They chat, ask questions, and gather leaflets from Peace Park residents.'They request permission to pose for photographs in front of the no-longer- allowed signs. "How wonderful it is for you Americans," a Korean visitor exclaimed to a member of the Minnesota group during those days in January. "How wonderful that you are allowed to oppose the President's policies right across the street from his house...."

Miriam Olsen is a peace activist and Northern Sun member who lives and writes in Browerville. MN. She may be contacted at RR 3 #136. Browerville. MN 56452, phone (612) 594-2454. Bev Nii-Anderson can be reached at P.O. Box 353, Hackensack, MN, 56452, phone (218) 675-5176.

EL PAIS
Diario independiente de la semana
Redaccion Administrativa y talleres Miguel Yuste 40-28037 madrid-tl-{91}337-8300 80 pesetas- ano xv1 numero 5.083
Edicion Madrid
Sabado 2 de marzo de 1991
GENTE
CONCEPCION MARTIN
10 anos de protesta
ante la Casa Blanca
J.M. Washington.
Desde el 1 de agosto de 1981, unaa gallega de Vigo vive las 24 horas del dia en vigilia pacifista antinuclear frente a la Casa Blanca. Concepcion Martin Picciotto, de 46 anos, conocida como Connie, es la historia de una desesperacion personal que la llevo a expresar su impotencia istalandose con un fardo de ropas y una pancarta a a escasos metros del domicilio del presidente norteamericano. La acera del numero l.600 de la Pennsylvania Avenue, domicilio postal de la Casa Blanca, es tambien, desde hace 10 anos, el de esta gallega, nacionalizada norteamericana, atormentada por un drama familiar y hoy dispuesta a seguir su dramatica vigilia :hasta que Dios quiera.
Connie comparte con otro pacifista- Thomas Doubting-, vecino de pancarta unos metross al lado de su vigilia desde 1981. Los dos, Connie y Thomas, son los veteranos de una protesta que forma parte del paisaje turistico de uno de los lugares mas visitados de Washington, el parque de la Fayette, frente a la Casa Blanca. Concepcion llego a su vigilia pacifista, que dura ya 10 anos, despues de mover Roma con Santiago pidiendo ayuda para un dramatico problema personal: un tribunal de Manhattan le concedio la patria potestad de su hijita al marido, del que Concepcion acaba de divorciarse en 1974, un italo-norteamericano con el cual se habia casado cuando ella tenia 21 anos. Del tormentoso divorcio, la emigrante gallega perdio a su marido, a su hija, su trabajo y su casa. Y desde entonces no volvio a ver a su hija, que ahora tiene 17 anos.
"Yo queria irme a Espana para educar alli a mi hijita, pero mi marido y su familia se opusieron y montaron toda una campana de acoso hasta que acabaron quitandome la potestad de la nina. Dijeron que no era una madre adecuada", dice. "Aqui no hay justicia, todo es un negocio. Y yo fui una victima de este sistema corrompido. Aquello fue una injusticia y un acoso del sistema social norteamericano, que contra el que llevo luchando desde entonces, y asi seguire haciendolo hasta que Dios quiera"
Ayudada, tan generosa como inutilmente, por grupos religiosos y de derechos humanos, Connie comenzo un peregrinage por despachos politicos de Nueva York y Washington en busca de ayuda, que nunca obtuvo. En Madrid el Ministerio de Exteriores tampoco lwe fue muy util, ya que le dijeron, que habia perdido su nacionalidad espanola. Y cansada y mareada y enloquecida en su frustracion, un dia , en 1978, comenzo a expresar su protesta portando pancartas frente a la Casa Blanca. Luego, el I the agosto de 1981, siguio el ejemplo de un pacifista, Thomas Doubting que habia comenzado una vigilia pacifista permanente, y se instalo con el.. Desde entonces, sobreviven frente al acoso policial, las inclemencias del tiempo, las provocaciones de patriotas radicales y las agresiones de algun que otro loco que se acerca por alli. Las ordenanzas de Servicio de Parques y jardines, que custodia la zona, les prohiben dormir en sacos, sentarse en sillas o portar mas de una pancarta.. Tienen que permanecer unos metros separados el uno del otro, y sus pancartas no pueden tener mas de unas medidas estipuladas y que la policia se encarga de verificar a cada rato.
Concepcion, que vive de la ayuda de particulares y de los donativos que recibe cuando regala unas piedras de la paz pintadas por ella, reconoce resignada la dureza de su campana.
Me costo muchisimo ponerme aqui las 24 horas del dia. Es un sacrificio enorme, pero seguire hasta que Dios quiera.

WOMAN LIVES PEACE

HIGH TIMES

MURPHY HIGH SCHOOL

MOBILE, ALABAMA

February 1991

WOMAN LIVES PEACE

By LUTZ KLEVEMAN

On A chilly morning in the last autumn during the CLOSE-UP program, I strolled through the streets of Washington D.C. Surrounded by seemingly listless and hasty people I approach the White House. Fascinated by this building which I have only seen on TV before, I prepare my camera.

Suddenly, I discover a woman on the other side of the road who officiously sweeps stubs together. I come nearer greet her and stand still, curious about her reaction. Gay eyes out of her wrinkled face look at me and she answers with a friendly "Hello" and "How are you today?" I feel invited, and we easily engage in conversation. Proudly, she presents me her stand which is covered by pictures and information ma- terial. The slogans on the yellow boards are fairly visible.

Since 1981, Concepcion Picciotto has been living on that spot. Every season, day and night during almost tell years under the open sky, she has demonstrated for peace. She is a living pence vigil against the nuclear war.

"Today, we have to set clear signs of peace against rearmament, of the super powers the discord in the world she asserts." Her voice doesn't sound fanatic, rather tender.

She talks to people to inform and convince them shout the madness of war. Excitedly she says, "Each day is different. Today I meet you, tomorrow maybe in African or a Japanese..."

Although the courageous woman can be seen daily by the President and his family, no official has ever bothered to talk to he;. Instead, there have been laws enacted to re- strict her field of activity and to drive away the troublesome person. "this control only reveals their fear, " Concepcion, says defiantly.

Several times policemen and Navy soldiers have beaten up the defenseless woman and destroyed her stand. The evidence she shows me, newspaper clippings and pictures of her face covered with blood. Despite those maltreatment's Concepcion continues her mission for freedom justice, equality, and pence. The source of her resoluteness and confidence is God. "When danger arises, I wait, I see, and I pray she tells me.

For farewell we embrace each other and wish each other peace and a nice day. I'm glad that she exists.

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