PeaceHq

Action At Y12 - 2004
Protest At Y12
Oak Ridge Tennessee

The procession walked slowly down to the entrance road to the Y12 complex. The authorities had blocked off the entrance with a barrier and the guards stood behind waiting for us to arrive. Not that we blame these people, they are doing their jobs as they see them, but wouldn't it be nice to have some of them climb the barrier and join us? After all we are in the right on the issue of our country breaking International Law in building these bombs as well as the horror of actually using them.

   As the "symbolic bomb" approached the road the police came over and warned the folks carrying it not to take it out onto the road or they would be arrested. So it was carried off to the left to let those in the procession behind get to the road. I had taken a position up by the gates with Utsumi, Denise and some others and was waiting for the rest of the group to assemble there.

   But then I saw my friends Erik and Libby being confronted by the police and Erik was arrested in spite of the fact that he hadn't been involved in what they arrested him for. I went down to see if I could hear what was being said but I couldn't get close enough to hear and they took Erik away before I had a chance to say anything to him.

   After Erik was taken away I retreated back to the group by the gate. I was feeling very bad for my friends even though I knew it was what they wanted. It still hurts to see your loved ones hauled away. We stood there chanting and drumming. The folks that were assembling the "symbolic bomb" were busy putting on the finishing touches and the place was buzzing.

   The "bomb" was finally standing in all it's uglyness. A symbol of terror and destruction whose creation did unthinkable damage to Mother Earth and will continue to do so for hundreds of thousands of years. I left my vantage point up by the gates when I noticed Judy Ross sitting on the sidelines. I had been with Judy at the workshop Saturday afrernoon and wanted to talk to her so I walked down to where she was sitting. I wanted to support her witness so I waited with her until she was ready to go out on the road.

   The idea behind the "symbolic bomb" was to tear it down and then build a Peace Town. There was a lot of furniture and accessories that the police wouldn't let us take out but since they were busy some of it made it out on the road. Well, the "bomb" went down with a lot of cheering and shouting and what was supposed to be a Peace Town turned into a couch for Judy Ross. I helped her from her seat on the sidelines to the couch and, after handing her umbrella to Joe, gave her a big hug and kiss and told her that as long as we had people like her we couldn't lose our struggle for peace.

   In the mean time the "chain gang" was preparing themselves for their witness. They decided to chain themselves together on the streets and get as much as they could for the jail time they knew they were in for. Well they did because it took a while for the police to cut then apart. Once this was done they were virtually hauled away.

   I think the authorities by this time had enough. They began to move us off the streets threatening to arrest us if we stepped on or over the yellow edge marked on the road side. I was trying to get some last photos but couldn't manage any. I ended up behind the crowd and had a hard time seeing Judy Ross and Joe's arrest. As they took them away we were yelling "Judy, Judy, Judy...." and she loved it.

   After the last arrest the demonstration was over. We walked around a bit and said our good byes to all our friends and allies. Ray Hearne took a picture of all the runners standing in front of the Y12 entrance sign and after a few more hugs and good byes we were off to home having taken part in a worthy cause. Till next year!

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