Student Demonstrators Close Army Recruitment Center in East LA

by A Tuesday, Mar. 20, 2007 at 5:06 PM

EAST LOS ANGELES, March 19, 2007 – Over 250 students from various high schools in the East LA area staged an anti-war action at an army recruiting center in East LA today.

The recruitment center apparently decided to close for the day when confronted with the student demonstrators. It is believed that the recruiters and the LAPD knew of the planned action in advance due to the large deployment of police encountered at the center. About 15 protesters were able to get inside and address those at the center with their concerns about recruitment practices and the continuing war in Iraq.

Organizers say they were prepared to engage in civil disobedience to close the center but it did not come to that and there were no arrests. Organizers are claiming success in being able to close the center for the day and plan to return to this center and others in the Los Angeles area in the near future.