Stories

“And the peaceful protester said, let there be life,” said emcee Brian Shearer, as 75 bodies symbolically rose from the dead after a five-minute “die-in” at a peace rally Thursday on Iowa City’s Ped Mall.

The University of Iowa Anti-War Coalition event was part of a national day of campus protests calling for, in the words [...]

Buzz on the Eastern Iowa peace left that Dave Loebsack is miffed with them is getting a firm dismissal from the congressman’s office and from some peace activists.

“The Congressman is not in any way upset with people opposed to the war,” Loebsack spokeswoman Gabby Adler told Iowa Independent Tuesday night.  “He’s repeatedly encouraged constituents to [...]

War opponents plan to expand civil disobedience efforts to the presidential campaign trail, according to a keynote speaker at Iowa City’s Peace Fest Sunday.

Jeff Leys of Voices for Creative Nonviolence said the Occupation Project, which has targeted congressional offices demanding an immediate end to all funding for the Iraq war except for funds needed for [...]

The one person jailed in last week’s sit-in at U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley’s Cedar Rapids office pleaded guilty in Linn County Court today.

David Goodner, a University of Iowa senior, was fined the minumum amount on both counts — $65 for criminal trespassing and $250 for interference with official acts.  He told the judge he would [...]

Five Iowa peace activists who were arrested for trespassing in the Des Moines office of Senator Charles Grassley on February 26, 2007 were acquitted Wednesday after a three-day trial.

The Occupation Project activists were found not guilty by a six- member jury despite their admission that they had refused an order by a U.S. Department of [...]

Two staffers for Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley were granted legal representation in a trial scheduled to conclude today involving anti-war protests in Grassley’s Des Moines office.  A Senate resolution granting the representation passed by unanimous consent yesterday, Capitol Hill newspaper The Hill reports.

Note: On Friday, July 6, peace activists occupied the Cedar Rapids offices of Senators Chuck Grassley and Tom Harkin.  Part one of this three-part story looked at the training and planning for the event, while part two included events at the Federal Courthouse site of Senator Grassley’s office.

Tom Harkin’s office fell victim to its own [...]

Note: On Friday, July 6, peace activists occupied the Cedar Rapids offices of Senators Chuck Grassley and Tom Harkin.  Part one of this three-part story looked at the training and planning for the event.

At 1:30 sharp, Frank Cordaro led the group, singing John Lennon’s “Power to the People,” to the Federal Courthouse. 

Jaywalking was unnecessary [...]

“This sucks!” said Lara Elborno, walking out of the Wells-Fargo building in downtown Cedar Rapids at about 5:30 on a Friday afternoon. “It’s so anticlimactic!” Lara’s Friday night plans had suddenly changed. She’d announced at a 1 p.m. rally, “I’m so excited to get arrested with all you guys!” and minutes earlier she’d been in [...]