17 Iraq war protesters plead not guilty (Cedar Rapids)

[struggle4progress]

By Dorothy de Souza Guedes
The Gazette
[e-mail]

CEDAR RAPIDS - Peace activists arrested for criminal trespass July 6 at the downtown Cedar Rapids offices of two U.S. senators pleaded not guilty Friday in Linn County Associate District Court and asked for a jury trial.

A consolidated jury trial for the 17 who have pleaded not guilty is set for three days beginning Oct. 29.

“The illegality of the war in Iraq, the urgency of preventing the loss of more innocent lives, and the inaccessibility of Senators Grassley and Harkin to their constituents makes our actions on July 6 justified,'' the group stated in a written release. ~snip~

The group and dozens of supporters orchestrated the July 6 non-violent civil disobedience at the offices of Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, as part of the Re-Occupation Project. ~snip~

http://www.gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070720/NEWS/70720018/1006/NEWS