Photographs by Karen Edelstein
Masks at dawn"I participated in several protests at the Army Depot during the summer of 1983, and [am] pleased to share my 20 or so photos of a really beautiful action created by a group of a few dozen women from Ithaca, in what I think was early August..
Some people had scoped out an entry that was less well patrolled, and in the very early morning, just after dawn, we drove in. With equal numbers of women who stayed on the civilian side of the fence for support, a group shimmied one at a time over the barbed wire, using scraps of rug for protection. For nearly 20 minutes, we sang, hung plaster of paris masks on the fence, planted a tree and seeds for peace, and in general had a good time waiting for the Mps to show up, which they eventually did.
We remained in a circle, half of us inside, half outside the fence, holding hands through the chain link. One at a time, the women inside the fence were handcuffed, and led off by the MPs to camouflaged school bus that had also eventually arrived. Later in the day, we returned to the main gate where a larger CD action was in progress, and much later that evening, were reunited with our friends."
~ Karen Edelstein
Scaling the Depot fence
MPs arrive
JEB photographing the group
JEB photographing the group
Singing in handcuffs
More handcuffs/singing
Amy prepares to go to the bus
Adjusting Amy's handcuffs
Singing while MPs remove masks
More mask removal
Waiting
Everyone prepares to go to the bus
Jeannie C. led to the bus
Amy is questioned before boarding the bus
Laughing in handcuffs
Razor wire prep for protest at Main Gate
Larger protest at Main Gate
Inspiring Phoenix
Church and state
People First graffiti on a railroad overpass on Rt. 96 still visible 20 years later. "People First" was a response to the Depot's motto, "Mission First, People Always." 
No comments:
Post a Comment