OFFICIAL RELEASE: Two CODEPINK activists disrupt McCain’s RNC speech
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT
Medea Benjamin, 415-235-6517
Nancy Mancias, 415-342-6409
ST. PAUL — Two activists of the women’s peace group CODEPINK disrupted John McCain’s speech Thursday night at the Republican National Convention, immediately following another activist of the anti-war veterans group, Iraq Veterans Against War.
At the start of McCain’s speech, veteran Adam Kokesh of Washington, D.C. emerged from the crowd near the stage inside the Xcel Center here carrying a sign and shouting messages to stop the war. About four minutes into the speech, CODEPINK activist Elizabeth Hourican, 38, a McCain constituent of Phoenix, AZ and longtime protester of McCain’s support for war, approached the stairs of the center toward the stage wearing a pink slip that said, “McCain = more war” with a banner that said “McCain = war.” Hourican, shouting phrases including “Women say no to war!” and “We want a peace president!”, raised her hands in a peace sign before being carried out. A few minutes later, San Francisco native Nancy Mancias, 38, did the same.
They were both released within an hour with no charges.
They were given their tickets to the speech by Republicans who decided not to attend, based on their displeasure with McCain’s position on war, oil drilling and other issues.
Their disruption follows a similar disruption Wednesday by CODEPINK co-founders Medea Benjamin and Jodie Evans during Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin’s speech at the RNC. They approached the stage where Palin was speaking, adjusted their clothes to reveal pink slips that read “Palin is not a woman’s choice,” stood there at the side of the stage for about a minute and yelled “Women say no to war!” and “Women need a vice-president for peace!” They also removed banners that read “Women need a peace vice-president.” After another moment, security then grabbed Benjamin and Evans and escorted them one at a time out of the St. Paul Xcel Center, where they were held until the end of the Palin’s speech and told they would be arrested if they tried to reenter. They were told they’d committed an arrestable offense but they were not charged.(See footage of the event here).
“Sarah Palin is not a woman’s choice,” said Jodie Evans, co-founder, moments after being released. “That’s it.”
CODEPINK is a nonpartisan women’s peace group. They vehemently oppose McCain’s pro-war, anti-environment, anti-choice positions. More details to come. For questions, please call Nancy Mancias at 415-342-6409.
Tags: Bust McCain, McCain, PeaceRoom 2008, RNC, Rock the Parties!
September 5th, 2008 at 11:12 am
medea, what a powerful photograph of that s.s agt. with his hand over your mouth…that says it all. saw liz last nite get pulled out of the convention last nite.
im proud of you all… you are an inspiration…keep speaking peace to power.
all my love
cindy
September 5th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
Thanx for spicing up an otherwise dull RNC presentation. (Well, except for “Barracuda” of course)
September 5th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
Double checking for accuracy: Is Adam Kokresh the name of the person who unfurled the “you can’t win an occupation” sign? The reason for asking is that progressives need to make sure this story is broadcast in altgernative media as much as possible. Of course, if anonymity is preferred for, say, safety reasons, that, too, is understandable.
Assuming that anonymity is not considered necessary, I suggest preparing ‘human interest’ and other stories about those who engaged in what may have been one of the most effective protest actions this year.
Thank you
September 5th, 2008 at 4:01 pm
Way to go girls!!! I wish I could have been there with you. Thanks for being our voice! Every action I have seen/heard I am sooo very proud to be a pinker! PEACE and LOVE to you all!
September 5th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
Thank you so much for getting into the RNC! The protests were the most inspiring parts of McCain’s speech. If not for you, I would have fallen asleep and had a bad dream about old white people shouting “drill baby drill”!
September 6th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
Jammonius,
The correct spelling of the brave member of IVAW who held the banner “You Can’t Win an Occupation” during the first 30 seconds of McCain’s Thursday night speech is ADAM KOKESH. He is an amazing and dedicated activist. Kudos to Adam and the members of IVAW for their phenomenal work at the conventions (they also lead a peaceful march of thousands of young people at the DNC).
September 6th, 2008 at 12:58 pm
Codepink are the most passionate people I have ever seen. Unfortunately, their passion erupts as aggression and appears to bridge to manic when in public. I have seen it first hand and I wish you could find a way to not appear so deranged. It would give people who agree with your cause to come forward and help. Basically, you scare the hell out of people. Please, please learn to have passion and get your point across without looking like idiots…….you’re killing me and the democratic party!!!
September 6th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
Dear SG,
Thank you for your thoughtful concerns. Our intention is always to take the anger, dismay, deep sadness we feel about where our country is going under current leadership and to transmute those feelings into bold, powerful and life-affirming expressions and actions. We also know that these acts of dissent will always be viewed as aggressive by someone who either does not agree with what we say or with how we say it. As for the aggression which “appears to bridge to manic when in public,” it is damn scary to stand up in a room/stadium full of people and raise your voice (or banner) in opposition. It takes a tremendous amount of courage to get up and shout a dissenting opinion and -just to be clear- the mild-mannered conversations we have with Members of Congress and others every day of the week rarely get any media attention so people assume we don’t do it. In short SG, we will continue to stand up and raise our voices and we hope you take every opportunity you have to communicate your passions in a way that feels right to you.
As for killing the democratic party comment- I don’t think so. Maybe the democrats and their policies (including their general lack of leadership to end the war in Iraq) is what is damaging their party. Just a thought. Thanks!
September 6th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
Admin – Thank you for sharing your response. Yes, it is scary to go into an arena of uncertainty to make a point – we do it everyday, especially in DC. My personal experience with CodePink was not positive. The CodePink representatives did not attempt to find out what we stood for when they attacked us in DC. You can attempt to justify your tactics, but they are wrong and to date not effective. My point is that your tactics send a negative message about your group.
Regarding the democrats, it appears that CodePink has a preferred party since you didn’t appear on TV at the DNC.
I know you will want to have the last word, as your group did in DC, so respond as you will, you will not get further dialog from me.
September 6th, 2008 at 5:31 pm
What an embarrassment. Disrupting peoples right to assembly and free speech. Fascism is alive and well and it is wearing pink. Not that this will get past the censors for this board, I noticed the only free speech you allow is what suits the cause. Just thought I would try and post again anyways.
September 6th, 2008 at 7:52 pm
Great going you Princesses of our Capitol, you Queens of America. I love you all. (paraphased from the “Ciderhouse Rules”)
September 6th, 2008 at 11:31 pm
All I know, is that people shouting USA! USA! during McCain’s speech sounded more disrespectful than anything you were doing. To the average observer, it sounded really weird, and discomforting to McCain. Keep the peace and keep up your advocacy; that’s the record you will gain support with. End the war!
September 7th, 2008 at 8:49 am
I wish u would go after the polls being done about the current presidential race. They seem to be lying to make for better television ratings. I live in a conservative town (home of Eric Prince, Blackwater) and the Obama signs way out number like 10 to 3 every McCain sign. If this town is that pro obama I can’t imagine it’s more so in less conservative towns. Moreover the polling is done mostly to land lines, who are older conservative people. The data is therefore deeply skewed.
September 8th, 2008 at 9:42 am
Code Pink was the highlight of the night! I had started nodding off…
September 8th, 2008 at 7:09 pm
Opposing the war is equal to asking for the terrorists to bomb and kill more Americans on American soil. “If you don’t stand behind our troops, please stand infront of them”
September 10th, 2008 at 1:44 am
Dear CODEPINK!
You can not imagine how glad I am to know you! I saw the video, heard the “USA!USA!”-shouts from the RNC-people and thought: “They are right! There are two real Americans, fighting for peace and justice, in pink clothes and very strong, full of democracy and love to a free opinion and a true patriotism, against war and a stupid nothing called “patriotism” from John Mc Cain, destroying everything what is really culture! I love you peace-activists so much! In Germany we would not hear from you, if you were not in the internet. Thank you so much!!!
Sincerely
Nadja Thelen-Khoder
September 11th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
What a waste of time this whole organization is. It’s fine if you want to speak against the war and claim that you are all about peace, but trying to crash John McCain’s speech? What was that supposed to prove? All it did was give more evidence to the fact that you are a group of nut balls with nothing better to do than act crazy.
What you don’t seem to realize is that rational people, in other words the majority of the population, see this behavior and all they can do is roll their eyes. You’re the equivalent of the hyper-active kid in class who can’t sit still and won’t shut up. You don’t make most people want to listen to you; you make most people want to avoid you. Put a different way, you’re annoying.
Anyway, I know this won’t dissuade any of you “activists” from continuing such behavior. Just don’t be surprised when people tell you to shut up and/or go away.
September 13th, 2008 at 10:46 am
it was a proud moment to SPEAK OUT TRUTH TO POWER at Mccain nominating speech event in St PAul!
i will speak out against bad leadership every opportunity with the people’s voice _WE WANT A Peace President not a 3rd term Bush failure
Mccain has failed Arizona with his corporate elitist history-
John Mccain sold his soul long ago to corporate powers in & around the the beltway !!