Declaration of Peace Group Reads names of War Dead in Rochester Federal Building; Denied Access to Elected Represenatives

Members of the local branch of Declaration for peace read names of slain Iraqis and US Soldiers inside the Federal Building on State Street Wednesday. But not without a struggle with security to get inside the public building which houses the offices of elected officials, public court rooms and a post office.

The Declaration of Peace is a national organization that was started in response to the Iraq war and whose goal is to put pressure on Congress to stop funding the war, explained Mary Adams one of the participants of Wednesday's action. She pointed out that this was the third such action since March of this year, and that each time the group has encountered more difficulty accessing congressional offices inside the Federal building.

In March of this year, the group staged a civil disobedience action at the office of Hillary Clinton, and were given citations for trespassing. The citations were subsequently dropped; but following this action, a sign was placed on Senator Clinton's office explaining that individuals would be denied access unless an appointment were arranged ahead of time, Adams explained.

At Wednesdays action, the group merely planned to read the names of war dead outside the offices of Senators Clinton and Schumer, and to hand deliver a position letter to their the elected representatives. Before the group entered the Federal building, Wackenhut security guards, informed them they could not enter the building. Harry Murray, another member of the Declaration of peace, informed the security officer that a legal ruling had been made by a Federal circuit judge in Iowa based on very similar circumstances. This ruling affirmed citizens' right to access Federal buildings . After some negotiation, security allowed the group inside the lobby. However, the were not allowed to move beyond the lobby and to their representatives offices.

When a member of the group asked if anyone was in Louise Slaughter's office to receive a letter, security said no one was in Slaughter's office. They were told they would need to mail the letter if they wanted Slaughter's office to receive it. Moments later, Adams called the office and reached a secretary confirming the suspicion that the security guards were lying to the group.

After reading the names of War Dead the group was told that they could not return and that they were "given a break today," Security told the group they had been disruptive and that the previously mentioned Iowa ruling didn't apply to Rochester, that "Judge Telesca rules this building."

Adams expressed concern that citizens are being denied access to both a public building and to their elected representatives. She said groups and individuals plan to continue actions such as this one to keep pressure on congress to end the War in Iraq.

The Declaration of Peace group in Rochester meets every Sunday night at 7pm at the anti-war storefront, 658 Monroe avenue.