Courts Busy With   Vandenberg Resisters

Dozens of Star Wars resisters came before federal courts in Los Angeles recently, with mixed results.

Los Angeles Catholic Workers Liz Wyrsch and Brian Buckley were arrested and jailed while attending daily anti-war vigils at the federal building in Los Angeles. Both refused to pay fines or report for supervised probation after backcountry protests at Vandenberg Air Force Base last May. U.S. marshals would see the probationers as both groups came and went from the federal building. Elizabeth Wyrsch was arrested for probation violation as she vigiled on December 5, and on December 11, marshals arrested Brian Buckley at the vigil. Both were jailed until probation violation hearings in early January.

In the days between their arrests, 15 defendants from the October 7, 2000 line-crossing at the missile and space warfare base stood at the bar on December 6 and 7. In nine groups, they appeared for a series of bench trials. One person was acquitted and five others had their trespass charge dismissed. Two pled guilty and the remaining seven were convicted. These nine were sentenced to probation plus $500-$100 fines, depending on prior records.

One month later, January 7, six line-crossers from a May 19, 2001 demonstration at the Vandenberg gate were also convicted in a bench trial. Judge Kennan noted the commitment of the group, and the many letters he had received from their supporters The six were sentenced to unsupervised probation until completion of 16 hours community service. Three-year ban and bar letters, issued at their arrest, remain in effect.

Buckley and Wyrsch were brought back to court the same week, and each sentenced to 30 days for probation violation. Both served a few extra days before being released.

Then on January 8, Greenpeace USA responded to unprecedented federal felony charges with an unprecedented concession: for the next five years, Greenpeace USA staff agree not to break the law during protests at U.S. or Marshall Islands space warfare bases. Sixteen activists who sailed into the safety exclusion zone off Vandenberg's shore to disrupt the July, 2001, missile interceptor test then pleaded guilty to misdemeanor conspiracy to trespass. A seventeenth defendant could not return from Germany to enter his plea due to illness.

On January 18, nine of the international activists were sentenced to one year probation, and allowed to return home. The others will be sentenced April 15, and the U.S. Attorney's office said it may still seek jail terms for some of them, including the two journalists in the group.

Finally, L.A. Catholic Worker co-defendant Scott Galindez completed his 90-day sentence and was released from the Los Angeles federal detention center January 29.

For more information, contact the Los Angeles Catholic Worker 632 N. Britannia St., Los Angeles, CA 90033, (323)267-8789; or Greenpeace USA, 702 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20001, (800)326-0959.